ONCIDIUM rOEBESII. 



[Plate 10 4. J 



Native of Brazil, 



Epiphytal. Pseudobiilhs oblong oLtuse, comprosscd, Piilcate, two inchos long, of 

 a dull brownish green, each bearing ono leaf frc^ni tho apex. Leaces laiu^oolate acute, 

 leathery, eight to ten inches long. Scape radical, bearing a many-flowered panicle. 

 Flowers large, ntimerous, very showy, measuring about two nrul a half iiiclics m 

 both directions, handsomely marked ; sepaJii obovate, recurved, about an imh lf>Tig, 

 deep chestnut brown, with indistinct transverse bands and marginal iiidicatioiis ol 

 yellow, the lateral ones connate ; petals larger, about an inch and a half long, and 

 an inch and a quarter wide, roundish-obovate, the margin undulate,, the base suddenly 



narrowed into a claw, the central parts wholly deep glossy rhcsilnut-red, the edge 



for about a quarter of an iinh in width yellow, closely marked by short irr<'yidar 

 transverse bars of chestnut-red ; Up with a longish narrow claw, and large transversely 

 reniform deeply bilobed front segment, an inch and three fourths broad, which is 

 coloured like the petals, the claw spotted with yellow and red, crested, the crests 

 usually consisting of five rugged equidistant warts, the two middle of which are 

 sometimes wanting. Column with small augulate wings, l>andcd with lines of violet. 



ONCiDiUii FoRBESii, Iloohcr, Botanical Magazme, t. 3705 ; Llndley, Folia 

 Orchidacea, art. Oncidium, No. 60 ; Williams, Orchid Grower's Manual, 5 ed., 254. 



The genus Oncidium is a very large one, and there are many species well 

 known in cultivation, but the one we now illustrate belongs to a section in wliicli 

 there are few that are so distinct in colour. The flowers are not so large as in 

 O. crispum, of which there are many distinct varieties, differing in sizf^ and colour 

 — variations which often depend on t]ie vigour of the plants. The same may be 

 said of 0. Forhesii, the stronger the bulbs the finer the blossoms. Our sketch 

 was taken from a well-grown plant in the collection of E. ?>onny, Esq., Downs Park 

 Road, Hackney, who is forming a choice collection of Orchids. 



Oncidium Forhesii is an evergreen species, with pscudobulbs of a gretnl.-h brown 

 colour ; the foliage is of a dark green, and the flowers are chestnut-brown, with 



the sepals and petals irregularly margined with bright lemon-yellow. It blooms at 

 different times of the year, and lasts for several weeks in perfection. We find tho 

 plants do well in small pans or baskets, and also on blocks of wood. When grown 

 in pans or baskets we have found them grow freely in good fibrous peat, with 

 pieces of charcoal on the top of the peat, as they like to work their roots in 

 among the charcoal, and should have plenty of drainage, and but very little peat 

 earth. When cultivated on blocks they require more water in the growing than 

 in the resting season. 



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