MARCH, 1923,] THE ORCHID “REVIEW. 87 
ONCIDIUM SPLENDIDUM. 
‘HE first record of Oncidium splendidum appears to be in the herbarium 
of Achille Richard. Its introduction into French gardens is due to M. 
Quesnd, of Havre, who received plants from Guatemala. Warner and 
Williams include a coloured plate of it in the Orchid Album, viii., t. 373, 
with the remark that the first plant that appeared in England was obtained 
by us when on a Continental journey, and it remained the only plant in 
Britain for a very long time. A few duplicates were subsequently obtained 
by division, and they realised exceedingly high prices. A plant exhibited 
by Lord Londesborough at the Royal Horticultural Society, February 16th, 
1870, was awarded a First-class Certificate. 
At the above date an impression prevailed that O. splendidum was a 
native of Mexico, and collectors were sent out to that country by Messrs. 
Sanders to obtain a supply. After several months’ search they stated there 
were none to be found. They were then directed to go to Guatemala, 
where plants were secured, at first in small quantities, but subsequently in 
greater numbers as a better knowedge of its exact habitat was obtained. 
Although this plant has been described as Oncidium tigrinum var. 
splendidum (Bot. Mag. 5878), present day authorities regard it as a distinct 
species. It is the subject of a coloured plate in Reichenbachia (ii, t. 78), 
where the distinctive characters are given. The habit of growth is quite 
distinct, and the flowers, although resembling each other at a casual glance, 
are very different in form. In QO. tigrinum the sepals and petals are 
spreading, and the lip is characterised by its long shank, with two auricles. 
at the base, and deeply emarginate blade. In O. splendidum the sepals. 
and petals are always recurved, and the lip is, comparatively, only slightly 
emarginate, and does not possess a narrow shank. There are other 
differences in the crest and column sufficiently distinct to keep these two 
plants apart as separate species. O. splendidum has an erect leaf, very 
leathery and thick in texture, channelled above and prominently keeled 
beneath. 
O. splendidum holoxanthum is a remarkably distinct as well as beautiful 
variety that was exhibited at the meeting of the Manchester Orchid Society 
on February 1st by Bertram J. Beckton, Esq., of Irlams-o’Th’- Height, 
Manchester. It carried a branched spike of 18 flowers and was unanimously 
awarded a First-class Certificate. In this rarity there is no evidence 
whatever of the purple-brown spotting usually seen on the’ sepals and petals, 
which are clear greenish-yellow. The expansive labellum is of an intense 
chrome-yellow colour, and the purple-brown blotch that is normally 
present on either side of the base of the lip has also vanished, its position. 
being occupied by a creamy-white area of similar size. In the days when. 
