ODONTOGLOSSUM NAEVIUM zinai. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM N&VIUM. Psudobulbis ovoideis compressis ancipitibus ; foliis lanceolato-linearibus acutis basi angustatis ; scapis erectis gracilibus 
multifloris ; sepalis petalisque anguste ovato-lanceolatis acuminatissimis undulatis ; labello subconformi vix hastato, basi late unguiculato, cristae dentibus 2 
grossis tridenticulatis pubescentibus.; columna clavata, cirrhis subulatis patulis. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM N&VIUM, Lindl. in Paxt. Fl. Gard., I. (1850-1), p. 87, t. 18 ; id. Fol. Orch., Odont., p. 2 (excl. var. majus) ; Flore des Serres, t. 594; 
Pescatorea, t. 13; Rchb. f. in Walp. Ann, VI., p. 825 (excl. var. majus) ; Warn. Sel. Orch, ser. 1, t. 7 (var. majus); Batem. Monogr. Odont, t. 9 ; Gartenflora, 
XXII, p. 99, t. 791 (var. majus); Veitch Man. Orch, Pl, pt. 1, pp. 51, 52 (in part) cum xyl. 
This elegant little species was originally described by Dr. Lindley in Paxton’s “ Flower Garden,” early in the year 1851 ; an excellent coloured figure 
was also given. The plant is said to have been sent to England several years previous by Sir R. Schomburgk, and was exhibited by Messrs. Loddiges at one 
of the Spring meetings of the Horticultural Society in that year. It had, indeed, flowered four years previously in another collection, for Lindley remarks :— 
“ Another supposed variety of this same plant was flowered by Messrs. Rollisson in June, 1847, with rather larger blossoms.” A single flower, together with 
a faithful coloured drawing of the same, is preserved in Lindley’s Herbarium, and labelled “ Rollisson’s, June, 1847,” and these prove the plant to have been 
really our present species. Lindley, however, adds —“ What appears to be the same.species is No, 721 of Mr. Linden’s Herbarium of 1846, found by his 
collectors, Funck and Schlim, at the height of 6,000 feet, at St. Lazaro and La Pefia, in the province of Truxillo, and said to have a yellow lip spotted with 
crimson—a circumstance possibly 1 with the colour of the fading flowers.” Here, however, Lindley fell into error, for the dried specimen preserved 
in his Herbarium is a form of his O. odoratum. The author soon fell into further confusion, for in his “ Folia Orchidacea” he added a “variety majus,” based 
on Linden n, 146, found at 8,000 feet altitude in the province of Pamplona, in New Granada, which, however, is O. gloriosum, Linden & Rchb. f. These 
mistakes have repeated themselves with tolerable regularity through the books down to the present day ; consequently the true habitat of the species has been 
obscured. Bateman, indeed, supposes that Schomburgk must have discovered it among the southern affluents of the Orinoco, somewhere about the fourth 
parallel of latitude and the twenty-fifth to twenty-seventh of longitude, at about 7,000 feet altitude, together with Maxillaria eburnea and others ; but this 
seems to me highly improbable, and I rather suspect its reported introduction by Schomburgk is due to some garden error. Although Lindley’s variety 
majus belongs to a different species, that of Warner, figured in his “Select Orchidaceous Plants,” is genuine, but only differs in having slightly larger flowers ; 
as may also be said of the variety figured in the “Gartenflora.” O, nevium, as may be judged by the above-named confusion, is closely allied to O. odoratum, 
O. gloriosum, and one or two others, but may readily be distinguished by its pure white, undulate segments, covered with numerous purple spots, and the 
yellow disc. R.A. Rolfe. 
hi 
aie 
4 
Icones analytic. Flos. Columna et labellum a latere visa. 
THERE are few Odontoglossums in existence rivalling this species for chaste beauty. We cultivate about a thousand 
plants of it, and a more fascinating sight than these when in flower—during the month of May—cannot be conceived. 
There is a great mistake attached to the introduction of this orchid. It was without doubt brought to Europe 
about the year 1845, and no other plants arrived until we received an importation in 1885, so for some forty years the 
plant was lost. We think it was originally introduced by Rollissons, and it probably came home from a correspondent 
in Columbia. After an ineffectual search during a period of twenty years, we were at last rewarded for our labours, 
resulting in the successful importation of a large number of these plants. 
An error, easily explained, arose through the fact that in a dried state O. nevium much resembles O. odoratum 
album, and we believe that neither Funck or Wallis, or any other collectors who sent home dried specimens, ever saw the 
true plant, but simply sent home the white form of O. odoratum. 
The two Odontoglossums nearest the subject of our illustration in appearance are Odontoglossum blandum, which 
is a much smaller-growing plant, and Odontoglossum cirrosum, from which, however, it is easily distinguishable. 
We will not say that Lindley was purposely guided wrong when he gave his description of the plant, but certain 
it is that no majus form of nzevium exists, and that what he described as such was simply Odontoglossom odoratum 
album; nor could Sir Robert Schomburgk have ever seen this orchid, as he did not travel near the only spot where it 
has ever been collected, and Sir Robert, therefore, cannot have been the sender of the plant which flowered with Messrs. 
Loddiges. 
Our plate was taken from a plant in the collection of Charles W. Lea, Esq., Parkfield, Hallow, Worcester. 
