183 



ONCIDIUM BATEMANNIANUM. 



(Mr. Bateman's Oncidium.) 

 LINNEAN SYSTEM. ^ . NATURAL ORDER. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. ORCHID ACEiE § VANDEJ;. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Oncidium (Swartz.) Perianthium explanatum. Sepala saepius undulata; lateralibus 

 nunc sub labello connatis. Petala conformia. Labellum maximum, ecalcaratum, cum columna 

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

 utrinque alata. Anthera semi-bilocularis, rostello nunc abbreviate, nunc elongato rostrato. 

 Pollinia 2, postice sulcata, caudicula plana, glandula, oblonga.. — Herbse epiphytes, nunc pseudo- 

 bulbosaj. Folia coriacea. Scapi paniculati vaginati, rarius simplices. Flores speciosi, lutei, 

 saspius maculati, 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. Batemannianum ; pseudo-bulbis ovato-oblongis, compressis, glabris, vix ancipitibus ; foliis 

 coriaceis, oblongo -ensifbrmibus, carinatis, acutis, striatis, obscure maculatis ; scapo erecto, longis- 

 simo, apice ramoso ; sepalis lanceolatis, margmato-unguiculatis, supremo arcuato, undulato, 

 lateralibus longioribus, marginibus revolutis ; petalis spathulatis, valde undulatis ; labelli lobis 

 lateralibus nanis, rotundatis, undulatis, intermedio magno, reniforme, apice, emarginato ; crista 

 carunculis numerosis obsita ; columnce alis subrotundatis undulatis. 



Pseudo-bulbs ovate-oblong, compressed, glabrous, scarcely 2-edged; leaves leathery, oblong- 

 ensiform, keeled, acute, striated, obscurely spotted ; scape erect, very long, branched at the 

 apex ; sepals lanceolate, clawed, claws margined, the upper one arched, undulated, the lateral ones 

 longer, with the margins revolute ; petals spathulate, very much undulated ; lateral lobes of the 

 labellum small, rounded, undulate, intermediate one large, kidney-shaped, emarginate at the apex, 

 crest studded with numerous fleshy projections; wings of the column somewhat rounded, 

 undulated. 



Oncidium Batemannianum. — Parmentier MSS. 



Descr. — Pseudo-bulbs large, (4 to 5 inches long,) of a pale green, compressed, the edges 

 of which are embraced by the sheathing bases of the leaves. Leaves two feet long by two and a 



