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ONCIDIUM ORNITHORYNCHUM. 



(Bird's-beah Oncidium.) 

 LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



GYNANDBIA MONANDRIA. ORCHIDACEiE § VANDE^E. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 

 Oncidium (Swartz.) Perianthium explanatum. Sepala ssepius undulata ; lateralibus nunc 

 sub labello connatis. Petala conformia. Labellwm maximum ecalcaratum cum columna conti- 

 nuum, varie lobatum, basi tuberculatum vel cristatum. Columna libera, semiteres, apice utrinque 

 alata. Anthem semi-bilocularis, rostello nunc abbreviate), nunc elongato rostrato. Pollinia 2, 

 postice sulcata, caudicula plana, glandula oblonga. — Herbse epiphytas, nunc pseudobulbosse. 

 Folia coriacea. Scapi paniculati vaginati, rarius simplices. Flores speciosi, lutei, ssepius macu- 

 lati, raro albi. 



Perianth explanate. Sepals more frequently undulate ; the lateral ones sometimes connate 

 beneath the labellum. Petals similar in form. Labellum very large, spurless, continuous with 

 the column, variously lobed, tuberculated or crested at the base. Column free, semiterete, with 

 the apex winged on both sides. Anther half 2-celled, rostellum sometimes short, sometimes 

 elongated, beaked. Pollen-masses 2, furrowed behind, with a flat caudicula and an oblong gland. 

 Epiphytic plants sometimes with pseudo-bulbs. Leaves leathery. Scapes panicled, sheathed, 

 more rarely simple. Flowers handsome, yellow, most frequently spotted, rarely white. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



O. Ornithorynchum ; foliis lanceolatis bulbo oblongo compresso 2-3-phyllo, 4-plo longioribus, 

 scapis pendulis paniculatis ; sepalis petalisque subsequalibus spathulatis ; labello subpandurifbrme 

 apice emarginato, crista 7-dactyla ; columnce coronatse longe rostratse alis duabus cuneatis 

 erectis; rostro recto. — (Bateman, in Orchidacece of Mexico and Guatemala?) 



Leaves lanceolate, 4 times longer than the oblong, compressed, 2-3-leaved bulb; scapes pen- 

 dulous, panicled, sepals and petals somewhat equal, spathulate ; lip somewhat panduriform, 

 emarginate at the apex ; crest with 7 excrescences ; the two wings of the crowned, long-beaked 

 column cuneate, erect ; beak straight. 



Oncidium Ornithorynchum. — Humb. et Kunth. 



Descr. — Pseudo-bulbs oblong or ovato-oblong, compressed, striated, from one and a half to 

 two and a half inches Jong, each bearing 2 or 3 lanceolate, acute, somewhat coriaceous leaves 

 varying from 8 to 12 inches in length. Scape branched, many-flowered. Sepals and petals of 

 a delicate lavender colour, with a tendency to a rosy tint. Lip similar in colour, fiddle-shaped, 

 3-lobed, the middle lobe narrow, elongated, with a dilated emarginate apex ; the central portion 

 of the margin, together with that of the lateral lobes, reflexed. Crest of a rich orange colour, 

 composed of 7 tubercular projections, of which the central one is the most prominent. Column 



