404 ORCHIDS 



Oncidium. 



are finger4ike, 3in. to 5 in. long, dark green, each bearing a 

 pair of leathery, shining green leaves, 6in. to gin. by 2in. 

 The flower-spike is from 2ft. to 5ft. long, branched, and many- 

 flowered ; the flowers are variable in size, the finest being 2in. 

 across ; sepals obovate ; petals |in. broad ; lip broad and wavy ; 

 colour bright yellow, with blotches of brown-red, the blotches 

 being thickest on the petals, whilst on the lip there are only 

 a few near the base. This plant should be in every collection, 

 as it is easily managed and very floriferous when in health. It 

 may be grown in baskets or pots in an intermediate-house 

 temperature. The flowers are produced in spring. Introduced 

 from Brazil in 1S49. {^^^- S- O., i., t. 23.) 



O. serratum (Lindl.). — This very handsome, large-flowered 

 species is remarkable for its long, twining flower-spike. Pseudo- 

 bulbs flask-shaped, from 4in. to 6in. long, partly inclosed in 

 sheathing leaves till old. Leaves broad, leathery, ift. or more in 

 length, 2in. broad, arched, bright green. Flower-scape from 6ft. 

 to 12ft. long, branched, twining, many-flowered; flowers 3in. 

 across ; ujiper sepal reniform, iMn. broad, wavy and crisped ; 

 lower sepals 2in. long by -Jdn. wide, curved, crisped, and wavy ; 

 petals oblong, over lin. long, wavy, curled in till they almost 

 meet over the column ; lip small, fleshy, hastate, with a crest 

 of five prominent ridges. The colour of the whole flower is 

 bright cinnamon-brown, with the up|)er half of the petals and 

 the edges of the sepals yellow. This species blossoms in 

 winter. It should be planted in a roomy, well-drained pot, in 

 a mixture of turfy peat and sphagnum, and be grown in the 

 cool-house. Peru, 1850. (Fig." 138 ; B. M., t. 5632.) 



O. splendidum {A. Rii/i.). —Ona of the finest of culti- 

 vated Oncidiums. Its flowers resemble those of O. tigriuum — 

 indeed. Sir Joseph Hooker called it a variety of that plant. 

 Phitil 1888, O. spknJidiim was scarcely known in gardens, but it 

 has since been introduced in great quantities. It has roundish, 

 compressed, one-leaved pseudo-bulbs, about 2in. in diameter. 

 Leaf leathery, thick, oblong-ovate, 6in. to i2in. long, 2Mn. broad, 

 dull green. Flower-spike erect, branched, 2ft. or m'ore 'in length, 

 and many-flowered ; flowers 3in. across ; sepals and petals equal, 

 lanceolate, lin. long, recurved, yellow-green, with broad bands 

 of brown ; lip large, narrow at the base, where there are two 

 small lateral lobes, the blade being 2in. broad and i-?,in. long 

 colour a rich, uniform yellow, ^vith a white, two-ridged disk. The 

 plant is not by any means easy to cultivate ; it is best suited when 

 grown in baskets, in a mixture of peat and sphagnum, and likes 

 plenty of water and sunlight. It does best in the warm intermediate- 



