it 
(olal a] 
fala) 
PL. CCCLXXXVIII. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM THOMPSONIANUM aarnigr. 
Mr W. THOMPSON’S ODONTOGLOSSUM. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM. Vide Lindenia, Engl. ed., vol. I, p. 19. 
Odontoglossum Thompsonianum, GARNIER in Fournal des Orchidées, IV, p. 108. 
j he superb form which we now figure flowered at the end of May in the 
houses of the Horricuttrure INTERNATIONALE, Brussels. Immediately 
afterwards it passed into the collection of W. Tompson, Esq., Walton, 
Stone, Staffordshire. It is well known that Mr Tuompson is a special lover of 
Odontoglossums, and that the collection of plants of this genus which he 
exhibited at the recent grand show at Manchester in June last obtained the first 
prize, namely a Silver Cup. 
As M. Max Garnier pointed out when recently describing the plant in the 
Fournal des Orchidées, it belongs to the hystrix group. What we generally call 
Odontoglossum hystrix (BATEMAN) in cultivation, however, is only a form of 
O. luteo-purpureum. But this species is one of the most variable in the entire 
genus, and one of the most polymorphous among Orchids. In order to be 
convinced of this it is only necessary to pass in reyiew the numerous synonyms 
or innumerable varieties named in gardens or figured in the different journals 
which are devoted to Orchids. The form and colour of the segments varies 
infinitely, and for those cultivated in gardens it is necessary to adopt different 
names to represent the principal types, and under the name hystrix (which 
signifies a porcupine, and is given in allusion to the spiny crest) those forms of 
O. luteo-purpureum which have the segments, and especially the petals toothed 
and fimbriate along the margins. 
Odontoglossum Thompsonianum has decidedly this character, and is of very 
graceful appearance, besides which the segments are broad and spreading, and 
altogether we may consider it as one of the most beautiful forms of this group. 
The sepals are bright brown with a light yellow border at the base and summit. 
The petals, which are very broad in the middle and almost of rhomboid shape, 
are of a light yellow ground colour, with three or four brown blotches in their 
lower half, across the base, and a much larger blotch near the summit. The 
clear yellow lip bears a large brown blotch at the centre, and near the basal 
margin some much smaller spots of the same tint. 
In presence of such varied forms, which group themselves round O. luteo- 
loney 
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