^88 ORCHIDS 



Onciclium. 

 O. cheirophorum {Rchb. /.). — Of the small-flowered Onci- 

 diums this is one of the most popular. It has small, sweet- 

 scented flowers, borne on elegant scapes. The pseudo-bulbs 

 are lin. long, ellipsoid, compressed, smooth, wrinkled when old. 

 Leaves about 5in, long, narrow, grass-like, bright green. Scape 

 very slender, 6in. to gin. long, freely branched, and crowded 

 with bright yellow flowers, each less than -Jin. across ; sepals 

 and petals nearly equal, almost round, reflexed, concave; lip 

 much larger than the other parts, three-lobed, with a central 

 callus of irregular form ; column thick, conspicuously winged. 

 This species thrives in a cool intermediate moist house. Small 

 pans filled with peat-fibre, sphagnum, and crocks, suit it best, 

 and it should be hung close to the roof-glass. Colombia, r852. 

 It blossoms in December and January. (B. M., t. 6278.) 



O. concolor {Hook.). — One of the most attractive of yellow- 

 flowered cool-house Orchids, its graceful, pendent racemes of 

 bright-coloured flowers being particularly ornamental. The 

 pseudo-bulbs are ilm. long, oval, flattened, furrowed, sheathed 

 at the base, and each bearing a pair of strap-shaped, pointed, bright 

 green leaves, 6in. to gin. long. The flower-scape is ift. or more 

 in length, arched or pendent, and bears numerous flowers, each 

 nearly 2in. across, and of a pure canary-yellow ; upper sepal 

 and two lateral petals lin. long, ovate, and pointed ; two lower 

 sepals partly united and pointing downwards ; lip nearly 2in. long, 

 i^in. broad, flat, slightly lobed, and having a pair of raised, 

 reddish ridges running down into the base ; column winged, 

 tipped with orange. When planted in a basket, or on a raft, 

 and placed in a cool, moist house, this species grows freely, and 

 blossoms profusely from April to June. Organ Mountains, 

 Brazil, 1837. Syn. Cyrtocliiluin tiiri/iu/n. ( B. M., tt. 3752 and 

 4454-) 



O. cornigerum {Lindl.). — An easily-grown, compact, free- 

 flowering species, related to O. ciirtum. Pseudo-bulbs sulcate, 

 3in. long, one-leaved. Leaf thick and fleshy, broadly ovate, 4in. 

 long, dark green. Flower-spike thin, about iJjft. long, branched 

 and crowded with flowers on the upper half Flowers bright 

 yellow, with bands of red-brown, small, but sufficiently numerous 

 to make a fine display ; sepals and petals -.Vin. long, ovate, 

 incurved ; lip fiddle-shaped, with long, narrow side lobes, and a 

 pair of projecting, horn-like processes at the base. Grown in a 

 basket suspended so that the spikes hang down over the 

 sides, this plant is really attractive. It should be treated as 

 advised for O. ci-ispiim. It blossoms in April and May. Brazil, 

 1829. (B. M., t. 3486.) 



