Dendrobium devonianum Paxt.

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘Assuredly one of the most delicate and most lovely of all Orchideous plants, and worthy to bear the name of that distinguished nobleman, the Duke of Devonshire, who has done so much to encourage Horticulture and Botany.  It is a native of the Khoseea hills, East Indies, and bears this name in Mr. Paxton’s Magazine of Botany, vol. vii.  I do not find it anywhere fully described.  Our plant, from which the accompanying figure was made, is from the collection of the late Mr. Clowes.  It flowered with us in September, 1847.  The charm of this plant is confined wholly to its flowers: the stems and foliage possess no attractions.  Except in the colour and markings and pubescence, the flowers have a considerable resemblance to those of D.fimbriatum.  The leaves are widely different.’  [BM t.4429/1849]. 

Introduced to Britain in 1837.  [JD].  MB p.169/1840.  FS f.647/1851.

History at Camden Park

The only reference to this plant is a hand written entry in a copy of the 1850 catalogue held at the Mitchell Library [ML 635.9m].  This copy bears William Macarthur’s signature and the date 23rd Dec. 1854.  It did not appear in the printed 1857 edition but was certainly grown in the gardens at this time.

Notes