ODONTOGLOSSUM CORONARIUM sinaz 
Pseudobulbis ovalibus compressis monophyllis, foliis oblongis subacutis rigide coriaceis basi canaliculatis, racemo dense multifloro, bracteis linearibus 
canaliculatis ovario triplo brevioribus, sepalis petalisque subrotundis unguiculatis planis margine crispis, labello longe cuneato retuso basi auriculis tuberculis 
duobus hoc didymo illo inferiore simplici acuto, columna clavata clinandrio subserrato lobis rotundatis. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM CORONARIUM, Lindl. Fol. Orch., Odont. (1852), p. 21; Pescatorea, t. 47 ; Batem. Monogr. Odont, t. 27 ; Warn. Sel. Orch, III, t. 
4; Walp. Ann, VI, p. 846 ; Veitch Man. Orch. Pl, pt. 1, p. 22 (excl. syn. O. brevifolium, et var. chiriquense). 
O. CANDELABRUM, Linden, ex Pescatorea, sub. t. 47. 
O. CORONARIUM var. DAyanuM, Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron., 1876, pt. 2, p. 226. 
O, CORONARIUM var, MINIATUM, Veitch Man. Orch. Pl., pt. 1, p. 23. O. miniatum, Hort., ex Veitch, |. c. ; : 
Odontoglossum coronarium was originally described by Dr. Lindley, in his “Folia Orchidacea,” in 1852, from a dried specimen collected five years 
previously by Messrs. Funck and Schlim, near La Baja, in the province of Pamplona, New Granada, at an altitude of 7,000 feet above sea-level. In 1874 
Bateman, in his splendid “ Monograph of Odontoglossum,” remarks that it had only produced flowers in two or three instances, the finest specimens being 
those exhibited by Lord Londesborough during the spring of that year. Its principal habitat is the mountainous region lying between Ocana and 
Salazar, a distance of seventy miles. Here it is found from 8,000 to 9,500 feet elevation, in the more open parts of the forest, generally on the 
lower branches of the trees, but sometimes on the ground at the foot of the trunks, or upon old and decaying trunks that have fallen through age. 
It also grows in Peru, where Lechler, as well as Pearce, met with it, as is proved by a dried specimen at Kew; while the variety miniatum, which 
is somewhat smaller in all its parts, is said to have come from Ecuador. The variety Dayanum appears to possess no distinctive character of import- 
ance—indeed, it is figured in Warner’s work (as above cited) as typical coronarium. It is very closely allied to O. brevifolium, Lindl., with which, 
indeed, it has been confounded ; we may, therefore, take this opportunity of pointing out briefly how it differs from this and three other closely allied but 
distinct species. In O, coronarium the column is distinctly narrowed below the wings, this part being fully two lines long; the wings themselves are also 
more rounded, and the crest different. The general features of the plant are well shown in the annexed plate and analysis. In O. brevifolium, Lindl, the 
pseudobulbs and leaves are both shorter and proportionately broader, and the bracts distinctly broader ; while that part of the column below the wings is only 
a line long, and nearly as broad ; the wings more truncate, the side lobes of the lip smaller, and the crest different, the character of the column alone serving 
to distinguish it absolutely. It is a native of Peru, and has been in cultivation for many years. O. chiriquense, Rchb. f, is readily distinguished from both 
the preceding by its more membranous, crispo-undulate sepals and petals, the broader claw of the front lobe of the lip, more toothed column wings, and 
some other differences, but the column is short as in O, brevifolium, It is a native of Chiriqui, and is excessively rare. I only know it by description, and by 
a single authentic flower in Lindley’s Herbarium. Lastly, O. Arminii, Rchb. f,, is another fine species only known from description and a drawing in 
Lindley’s Herbarium. It is said to have been found by Wagener, at Ocana, at 7,000 feet altitude, and has not yet appeared in cultivation. Our knowledge 
of this section of the genus is still very imperfect. R. A. Rolfe. 
Icones analytice. Flos sepalis petalisque castratis fronte et a latere visus, 
Tuis is without question one of the finest species in a remarkably rich genus, and although it has not proved under 
cultivation particularly free in flowering, yet when this desirable result has been obtained the owner is most amply 
rewarded for the care and attention that its culture has cost him. We remember some years back seeing a plant in Sir 
Trevor Lawrence's collection with a spike carrying twenty-five blooms; it was a foot in length, and 6 inches in width. 
This we think, at least as far as our recollection goes, is about the greatest number of flowers that has ever been produced 
on a spike in this country. 
Some authorities state that a spike of 12 inches will bear from thirty to forty blossoms—it has never been our 
fortune to behold this vara avis. We are more inclined to agree with Dr. Lindley’s description—z, ¢., that the spikes 
average about a foot in length, and bear as many as eighteen flowers. ; 
Allied to Odontoglossum coronarium are O. brevifolium, O. miniatum, and O. chiriquense. O. brevifolium comes 
from Peru, and is easily distinguished by its smaller bulbs and leaves ; it has a shorter flower spike, and the flowers are 
about 1% inches in diameter. O. miniatum is much smaller in all its parts. O. chiriquense is the grandest of all; it 
was introduced by us in 1884, after years of unsuccessful attempts to import it; but we at last received a few plants 
alive. Out of these, three only were established, and flowers were sent to Prof. Reichenbach. The plant is very free- 
flowering, and the flowers are larger and more brilliant than those of O. coronarium. 
The plant has become rare in collections, owing no doubt in a great measure to the difficulty experienced in 
successfully importing it. It is best grown in cradles, this affording plenty of drainage—in peat and sphagnum moss 
—and plenty of moisture ; also take care to hang the plant nearly close to the roof of a cool, moist house. Under these 
conditions there is no reason why satisfactory results should not be obtained. Our own collectors state that in the 
wild, cloudy mountains round Ocana, Odontoglossum coronarium is found growing on low, scrubby, dwarf trees and 
shrubs, over which the plant rambles and attaches itself in a firm manner by its roots, which sometimes penetrate in 
a downward direction among the bushes, grass, and moss to a depth of 5 feet into the cool earth. In the rainy season 
this species grows enormously, making large quantities of roots. When the dry season sets in, with its warmer, sunny 
days and densely foggy, wet, cool nights, the plant rests and matures ; and if cultivators will imitate nature as nearly 
as possible, success will surely crown their efforts. 
Our plate was taken from a plant in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., Burford Lodge, Dorking. 
