CUT-FLOWER CROPS 289 



varicosum, petals green-brown ; labellum very large, bright yel- 

 low. February to April. Brazil. 



tigrinum, red-brown, barred with yellow ; labellum yellow. 

 November to January. Mexico. 



splendidum, similar to above, but flowers later. February to 

 April. Mexico. 



crispum, shining brown, flowers at various seasons. Brazil. 

 Other important species are Forbesii, ornithorhynchum and 



ampliatum. 



391. Oncidium, botanical characters. The flowers 

 vary much in color and form, and the flower-clusters also 

 vary in size and shape. 



Habitat. Oncidiums are found native from the hot 

 coast plains of Central America to the high elevations. 



392. Culture of oncidiums. The oncidiums should be 

 grown in bright, warm sections of the cattleya house, 

 suspended from the rafters in small baskets. 



393. Phalaenopsis, botanical classification. (Name 

 from Greek, moth-like, suggested by the large white flowers 

 of some species.) Species about forty. The most common 

 commercial ones are : amabilis (December to March) ; 

 Sanderiana (June and July) ; Esmeralda (September 

 and October) ; SchiUeriana (December and January). 



394. Phalaenopsis, botanical characters. Phalaenop- 

 sis are very delicately colored. The flowers are borne 

 on long, graceful peduncles which spring from creeping, 

 underground stems. There are two or three radicle 

 leaves which are broad, dark green, thick, leathery and 

 often beautifully mottled. 



Habitat. Plants in this genera are native in the 

 Philippine Islands, Eastern India, Malaya, Sumatra, 

 Java and Borneo. 



395. Culture of phalasnopsis. Phalsenopsis come 

 from the warmest section of the globe, where the tem- 



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