48 



* ONCIDIUM raniferum. 



Frog Oncidium. 



GYNANDRIA M0NANDR1/1. 



Nat. ord. OrchidacEjE, § VandEjE. 

 ONCIDIUM. Bot. Reg. vol. \3. fol. 1050. 



O. raniferum. Supra fol. 1920. 



Rather a pretty species of this extensive genus, with a 

 very peculiar habit. It evidently hangs down from the 

 branches of trees, instead of growing erect as is most usual. 



Its name is derived from the curious form of the tubercles 

 which grow at the base of the lip, and of which a magnified 

 figure is given in the accompanying plate. Looked at from 

 above it resembles the figure of a frog couchant, the double 

 lower tubercle representing the creature's haunches, and the 

 anterior emarginate one his head. 



I originally received it from Mr. Knight of the King's 

 Road ; and since that time it has been sent me by various 

 persons. Among the specimens is one, of which a separate 

 figure is given, with all the scale-like bracts of the panicle 

 converted into long narrow leaves. 



The species is a native of Brazil. It occurs among Mr. 

 Gardner's Organ Mountain plants (No. 637), and M. Des- 

 courtilz met with it in damp forests near Bananal. This 

 traveller observed that it fixes itself to branches not exceed- 

 ing twelve feet in distance from the earth. Such pieces of 



* See Bot. Reg. fol. 1050. 



