[8 7 



ONCIDIUM KRAMERIANUM 



Rchb, f. 



^ Pseudobulbis orbicularibus compressis rugosis monophyllis, foliis elliptico-oblongis subobt 

 nodis incrassatis, floribus speciosis, sepalo postico petalisque erectis lincari-spathulatis elongatis 

 deflexis obtusis undulatis, labello subpandurato, lobis lateralibus rotundatis, intermedio amplo tran 

 lobata, columna brevissima utrinque auriculata et falcato-cirrhosa. 



ONCIDIUM KRAMERIANUM, Rchb. f., in Otto & Dietr. Allg. Gartenz., XXIII., p. 9 ; id, Xen Orch 

 Serres, t. 1956; Belg. Hort., XXIV., p. 258, t. 1 1 ; Lindenia, VI., p. 15, t. 246; Puydt, Les'orc'h. p 301 t 



mn< o-vancgatis, scapis gracilibus elongatis teretibus 

 undulatis, sepalis lateralibus ovali-oblongis falcato- 

 oblongo emarginato crispo-undulato, crista quinque- 



p. 80, t. 33 ; Fl. Mag, 1870, t. 465 ; Fl. des 

 ; Veitch Man. Orch, VIII, pp. 47, 48, cum 



ONCIDIUM PAPILIO KRAMERIANUM, Lindl. Fol. Orch, Oncid, p. 56; Jenn. Orch t 11 (Krameri) 



ONCIDIUM NODOSUM, F. Morr. in Dalliere PI. Feuill. ornem, II, t. 55 J Regel Gartenflora, XXIX, p. 225, t. 1017 



ONCIDIUM PAPILIONIFORME, Regel in Act. Hort. Petrop, VI, p. 292. 



This magnificent species is a native of the Andes of Ecuador and New Grenada, and was originally discovered by Warscewicz on the slopes of 

 Ch.mborazo in Ecuador at 3,000 feet elevation, about the year 1852. Shortly afterwards it was introduced to the garden of Herr Jenisch, at Flotbeck Park 

 near Hamburg, where it flowered in 1854. It was described in the following year, being named after Herr Jenisch's gardener Kramer This plant is said to 

 have come from Peru, but it seems quite probable that it came from the locality just named. It is closely allied to O. Papilio, Lindl. a native of Trinidad 

 of which Lindley regarded it as a variety, but can always be readily distinguished by the peduncle not being flattened and ancipitous towards the apex, and 

 the nodes being invariably much thickened. The pseudobulbs also are usually smaller and more orbicular, the leaves shorter and less spotted the peduncles 

 shorter, the flowers rather smaller and differently coloured, the dorsal sepal and petals broader, and the front lobe of the lip shorter broader and more 

 brightly coloured. For many years it remained excessively rare in European gardens, but since its discovery in other localities in Ecuador and New Granada 

 it has become much more common. In New Granada it is said to have been found on all the three Cordilleras, at about 1,000 to 3,000 feet elevation 

 growing on old trees more or less exposed to direct sunlight. The two species just named are usually known as Butterfly Orchids, and together with O.' 

 Limminghei, E. Morr, form the small section to which the name Glanduligera; was applied by Lindley. ^ # a. Rolfe. 



\ r ^-::m% 



Labelli lobus intermedius. Lobi laterales et columna fronte e 



There is a difference of opinion as to whether Oncidium Kramerianum is a distinct species or whether it is merely a 

 variety of Oncidium Papilio, with which it certainly has many features in common ; but as there are very obvious differ- 

 ences, which are consistently displayed in every example of Oncidium Kramerianum, it is better for many reasons to 

 accord it a place among the species ; indeed, we earnestly believe in its being a true species, and in Reichenbach's 

 unfading judgment; differences always to be relied on are found in the more terete scape of O. Kramerianum which does 

 not become flat in the upper half as in O. Papilio ; in the very prominent nodes at the points of the flower-spike ■ the 

 shorter and broader segments of the flower, and in some the somewhat different arrangement of the parts of the crest 

 and column. 



Its geographical distribution (or area) is a very wide one. Our collectors have not only found it in Peru and 

 Ecuador, but also on the Atrato river, and as far north as the Isthmus of Panama. Its nearest ally, Oncidium Papilio, 

 is found in Trinidad and the opposite mainland only, and is confined to a comparatively small district. 



Oncidium Kramerianum varies considerably in brilliancy. The best type comes from the mountainous regions 

 along the Cauca River, in New Grenada, and amongst these large and heavily marked flowers are found. 



O. Kramerianum is a warm-house plant, requiring much the same treatment as Miltonia Roezlii An even 

 temperature of 60 deg. to 70 deg. Fahr., in a moist house not too heavily shaded in summer, suits it admirably and in 

 such a place its flowers succeed each other almost without intermission for the greater part of the year It is essentially 



a basket orchid. 



5 taken from a plant in the collection of Baron Ferdinand Rothschild, M.P, Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury. 



