246 JOURNAL OP THE TRINIDAD 



ound that light baskets made with rods of cedar, with plenty of 

 charcoal for drainage and peat or coconut fibre as potting 

 material answer extremely well, but it will also grow and 

 flower fairly well on wooden blocks or tree fern root. 



Oncidium lanceanum in its native state grows on the upper 

 branches of very large forest trees, and an equal amount of light 

 and shade is indispensable for its healthy existence. Too much 

 of either will certainly do harm in the long run, either by 

 scorching the leaves or by producing rot and blind buds, which 

 latter is also caused by over watering. 



0. lanceanum being accustomed to stand long periods of 

 drought in its flowering season should never be watered more 

 than once a day, or once every other day, when the flower spike 

 is appearing. When the flowers have opened it will require the 

 usual supply of water to maintain them in bloom, but by no 

 means should the water, wherever it may come from, be allowed 

 to fall on the flowers or they will soon fade and decay. 



Of this beautiful orchid there are several varieties, as is 

 easily seen when a number of them is put together. In some the 

 flowers are large and are borne singly on the spike ; in others the 

 flowers are of the typical size but the colour of the lip is nearly 

 white, while in others again the sepals and petals are blotched 

 and spotted with reddish brown and these parts of the flower 

 are somewhat acute, wavy and more incurved than in the type. 



I venture to classify them as follows : — 



1. 0. lanceamim, type. 



Leaves broad, compact erect growth, flower spike erect and flowers, 

 borne in clusters, sepals and petals spotted with brown lip violet purple. 



2. 0. lanceamim majus (?) variety. 



Leaves longer than type, straggling growth, flower spike long, rather 

 drooping, flowers very large, borne alternately on the spike, sepals and 

 petals, much spotted with reddish brown lip &c., deep violet purple, divi- 

 sions of flower very much separated from each other. 



3. 0. lanceanum, blotched sepals and petals. 



Leaves almost eliptically erect, compact growth, smaller than type, 

 flower spike erect, flowers borne in cluster on short spike, division of 

 flower close together, sepals and petals heavily blotched with reddish 

 brown in confluent patches, lip violet, rather pale. 



4. 0. lanceamim, almost white lip. 



Leaves a little channelled horizontally spread, growth inclined to be 

 straggling, flower spike erect, bearing as a rule, a few flowers lip pale white 

 at tip the violet shade being more pronounced towards the babe of the 

 lip, sepals and petals, pale olive green spotted with reddish brown. 



There may be other varieties besides these, but I have not 

 been able to note them as carefully as those given above. 



It is much to be regretted that this beautiful Oncidium is 

 gradually and surely becoming scarce in the locality in this 



