ODONTOGLOSSUM KDSSII.-ROSS’S ODONTOGLOSSUM. 
Class XX. GYNANDRIA.— Order I. MONANDRIA. 
Natural Order, ORCHIDEJ1.- THE ORCHIS TRIBE. 
Character* of the genus, Odontoglossum. Perigonium explanate ; leaflets narrow, acuminate, free, 
exterior and interior equal. Labellum clawed, continuous with the base of the column, spurless, undivided 
lamina patent, crested at the base. Column erect, with a membranaceous margin winged on each side. 
Anthers two-celled. Pollen Masses two, solid. Caudicula linear. Gland hooked. 
Description of the species, Odontoglossum Rossii. Epiphyte, Plant from 6 to 8 inches in height. 
Pseudobulbs about an inch high, somewhat compressed, two-edged. Sheaths brown, scarious, longer than 
the pseudo-bulbs. Leaves sometimes solitary, sometimes in twos, lanceolate, striated, acute, erect or revo- 
lute, from three to six inches long and about an inch wide. Scape erect, about six inches high, producing 
from two to three flowers. Peduncles from two to three inches long. Bracts solitary, brown, varying in 
length from two to ten lines. Flowers about two inches in diameter. Sepals patent, or incurved, lanceo- 
late-acute, of a greenish brown colour, in the inside beautifully banded with brown, on the outside spotted 
with the same colour. Petals white, ovate, lanceolate, obtuse, longer than the sepals, revolute, margin 
irregular, sometimes spotted at the base with brown, sometimes blotched with brown. Labellum white, 
unguiculate ovately round, margin dentate or undulate, obtuse, unguis about three lines long. Lamellae of 
the labellum yellow, cup-shaped, fleshy, united in the fore part, about three lines long, striped in the centre 
with scarlet. Column curved, about six lines long, wingless, but membranaceous at the edges. Stigmatic 
cavity ovate, about half the length of the column, and tinted with pink at the margin. Anther 2- celled, 
beaked, the apex partaking of the same colour as the edge of the stigmatic cavity. Pollen Masses two, 
pear-shaped, posteriorly sulcate. Caudicula linear. Gland hooked. 
Popular and Geographical notice. The genus Odontoglossum was made by Humboldt and Kunth, 
from the collection of Orchideee, collected by Humboldt and Bonpland during their travels in South Ame- 
rica. It is, obviously, very nearly related to the genus Oncidium, from which it is not easily separated, 
unless you depend on the structure of the labellum and gland; the former of which is entire and unguicu- 
late, the latter hooked. 
The species composing this genus are natives of South America, and there are about twelve species 
known. Their flowers are handsome and showy. Although this is a very showy species, yet it is not equal 
in beauty to several species yet to be introduced into this country, such for instance as Odontoglossum ne- 
bulosum, whose flowers are stated to be in circumference nine inches, Odontoglossum Cervanteii, which 
approach those of our present species, but are much larger and richer tinted. There is probably, little 
doubt, that from the exertions of Baron Hartweg, who has been exploring the nucleus of these plants, viz. 
Oxaca, at the expense of the London Horticultural Society, that if they are not at present in that collection, 
they shortly will be. 
Introduction; Where grown ; Culture. This plant was imported from Mexico in the year 1837, by 
George Barker, Esq. where it was found by his collector, Mr. Ross. Our figure was taken from a plant in 
the collection of the London Horticultural Society. 
It should be cultivated in a warm and damp stove, and may be potted in the same way as other species 
of this tribe ; or if preferred, it may be put on a piece of wood, and suspended from the top of the stove, as 
many other epiphytes. Its propagation is similar to many others — merely dividing the pseudobulbs. West. 
Derivation of the Names. The generic name Odontoglossum is from Ociov<r a tooth, yW<ra a tongue, 
in reference to the toothings at the base of the labellum : the specific name Rossii is in compliment to Mr. 
Ross, the collector of G. Barker, Esq. in Mexico. 
A popular writer, quoted in the Every Day Book, observes : July is so called after Julius Caesar, who 
contrived to divide his names between months and dynasties, and among his better deeds of ambition re- 
formed the calendar. The heat is greatest in this month on account of its previous duration. The 
reason why it is less so in August is, that the days are much shorter, and the influence of the sun has 
* We are indebted both for figure and description to Mr. Maund’s Botanist. 
