﻿THE ORCHID REVIEW. [October, 1904. 



In 1881 Reichenbach again wrote about it, as follows {Gard. Chron., 



1581, L, p. 720) :— "This fine Oncid. was first introduced by Messrs. Veitch 

 in July, 1876. Then it flowered at Mr. W. Bull's. The collector of 

 Messrs. Veitch seems to have been very enthusiastic about it, as many a 

 collector is apt to be about his findings. He said the flowers were most 

 elegantly placed in a very light and feathery-looking inflorescence, and to 

 have at the same time a heavenly smell. ... I can only state that it 

 appears to surpass generally any variety of O. crispum in its rose colours 

 coming nearer to O. Gardneri and Forbesii, distinct from the first in the 

 long stalk to the lip, coming near that of O. Marshallianum. The calli 

 distinguish it from O. Forbesii. A very fine dark brown variety was sent 

 from Lion Walk, Colchester (New Bulb Company), by Dr. Wallace, and 

 from the grand collection of M. Massange de Louvrex, Baillonville, pres 

 Marche, Belgique, by M. Wilcke, chef des cultures. Now Mr. Sander sends 

 me a mass of varieties which are highly curious. They include a wonderful 

 variety, with three almost equal lips, and at the same time fully developed 

 columns." 



A year later it was figured in the Botanical Magazine (t. 6662), from a 

 plant which flowered in the Kew collection. 



In 1882 the variety Leeanum was described (Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron., 



1582, ii., p. 494). The author there states that Mr. F. Sander had 

 sent him a good supply of dried inflorescences of Oncidium prsetextum, 

 gathered by Herr Osmez, in Brazil. Among these was one extraordinary 

 form. " The flowers had in lieu of petals lips, lips in formation, lips in 

 callosity at the base, differing only from the genuine lip in being blotched 

 on their yellow disc, as in the lip of O. Forbesii Borwickianum, instead of 

 being spotless. . . . The plant came into the hands of Mr. W. Lee, 

 Downside, Leatherhead, who in July kindly sent some flowers twice, all of 

 which show this remarkable form. Under excellent management they are 

 far superior to the wild-grown flowers. Thus I have at hand nineteen well 

 developed fine flowers, all together offering the phenomenon of the triple lip. 

 I feel pleasure to dedicate the glorious curiosity to its lucky possessor." 



In 1884 the variety bellum was described (Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron., 

 1884, i., p. 372), as follows: — "This has a glorious yellow lip, with 

 numerous brown spots on the disc, and an interrupted border of similar, 

 partly semilunar blotches. Its tall column, widely extended tabular in- 

 frastigmatica and calli prevent its being O. Forbesii ; the shape of its lip is 

 against regarding it O. crispum. It has a very broad, furrowed pseudobulb. 

 I have to thank for it Dr. Wallace, of the New Bulb Company, Lion Walk, 

 Colchester." 



In 1887 the species was figured in the Gartenflora (xxxvi., p. 1, t. 1238), 

 when Reichenbach added that it was originally discovered by Dr. 



