CEA PL ER ot LV 
ONCIDIUM. 
A VERY large number of epiphytes, exclusively natives of 
tropical America—being generally diffused from Mexico 
and the West Indies to Bolivia and Brazil—are included 
in this genus. Over 250 species have been described, but 
it is questionable if the whole of these are distinct. No 
less than 180 of the number are supposed to be in 
cultivation in Europe—a fact which goes to prove that a 
large proportion of the plants are sufficiently ornamental 
for the garden. There are, however, many which, on 
account of their want of size or attractive colours, do 
not call for description here. We have selected about 
thirty distinct species as representative of the genus, and 
as comprising all that are worthy of being classed among 
first-rate garden Orchids. 
Botanically considered, the genus is, with few exceptions, 
a natural one, of well-marked characters, and_ easily 
distinguished from its allies, the Odontoglossums and the 
Miltonias. There are certainly links which connect these 
with each other, as, for instance, Odontoglossum aureum 
(called by some an Oncidium) and several others which 
are difficult technically to separate from Oncidium. With 
regard to Miltonia, Reichenbach himself proposed to merge 
that genus in Oncidium. For garden purposes, however, 
