Plate V.

Flower of a large variety of Odontoglossum InsleayiFlower (nat. size) of a large variety ofO. Insleayi.

Flower (nat. size) of a large variety ofO. Insleayi.

Plate V

Odontoglossum Pescatorei.Odontoglossum Pescatorei.

Odontoglossum Pescatorei.

ODONTOGLOSSUM PESCATOREI,Lindley.

M. PESCATORE'S ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Isanthium,Lindl.) pseudobulbis ovatis lævigatis nebulosis diphyllis, foliis loratis planis basi angustatis paniculâ amplâ erectâ multiflorâ 3-plo brevioribus, bracteis minutis, floribus membranaceis, sepalis ovato-oblongis apiculatis leviter undulatis, petalis conformibus latioribus, labello cuspidato subpandurato basi denticulato, cristæ lamellis lateralibus distantibus cartilagineis laceris lineis duabus divergentibus apice denticulatis interjectis, columnæ brevis alis brevibus cuneatis laceris. (Lindl. Fol. Orch., quibusdam mutatis.)Odontoglossum Pescatorei,Lindley, in Paxton's Flower Garden, iii. t. 90;Pescatorea, t. 1;Warner's Select Orchidaceous Plants, t. 25.Odontoglossum Nobile,Reichenbach fil. in Linnæa, 22, 850.Habitat inNew Granada, Province of Pamplona, at the height of from 5000 to 6000 feet,Funck and Schlim.

Odontoglossum Pescatorei,Lindley, in Paxton's Flower Garden, iii. t. 90;Pescatorea, t. 1;Warner's Select Orchidaceous Plants, t. 25.

Odontoglossum Nobile,Reichenbach fil. in Linnæa, 22, 850.

Habitat inNew Granada, Province of Pamplona, at the height of from 5000 to 6000 feet,Funck and Schlim.

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbsfrom 2 to 3 inches long, of an ovate form, glossy, and mottled with dark brown, usually bearing 2 lorateLeaves,which are from 6 inches to a foot long, narrowed at the base and sharp at the end, much shorter than the tall upright branchedPanicle,which sometimes rises to the height of 3 feet, and bears from 6 to 60 membranousFlowersof a peculiarly delicate texture.Bractsvery small.Sepalsovate-oblong, apiculate, slightly waved at the edges, an inch long, white with streaks of rose-colour.Petalssimilar in form and texture to the sepals, but broader and more curled at the edges, of the purest white.Lipinclining to fiddle-shape, pointed, but with the point invisible when looked at in front; towards the base are two short upright tubercles that pass forward into plates diverging from each other, and toothed in front. On either side are two pseudo-wings, irregularly indented, and, like the plates, of a beautiful gold colour, streaked with red. The rest of the lip is white, with the exception of a few irregular blotches of crimson, the number and size and disposition of which vary considerably in different individuals.Columnshort, with short wedge-shapedWings,a little indented at the edges.

This lovely plant was discovered in the year 1847 by MM. Funck and Schlim when on a botanical mission to New Granada, in the service of M. Linden. According to its discoverers, it is not unfrequently met with in the provinces of Pamplona and Ocaña, at an elevation above the sea-level of about 5000 feet, inhabiting the oak forests which—where the climate is mild—clothe the eastern slopes of the glorious Cordillera.

O. Pescatoreiflowered with M. Linden for the first time in 1851, and attracted, as well it might, universal admiration. Nothing indeed, even in the beautiful family to which it belongs, can surpass the delicacy of its blossoms, with their charming mixture of rose and white, relieved by a few deep-crimson stains scattered irregularly over the lip. Its habit too is good, and its stately panicle of flowers well-proportioned to the size of the bulbs and leaves. It blooms abundantly in the spring months, and its blossoms continue at least six weeks in perfection. We need not wonder that a plant with such a rare combination of good qualities should have been selected by M. Linden to do honour to his patron the late M. Pescatore, after whom he named it, and in whose sumptuous work ('Pescatorea') it forms the first plate.

Although the species, owing to the difficulty of importing it alive, is still exceedingly rare in this country, it has already flowered in many of the principal collections, especially in those of Mr. Rucker, Mr. Basset, Mr. Day, and Mr. Dawson, of Meadow Bank near Edinburgh. With the last-named gentleman a panicle, with sixty flowers upon it, is now (April, 1864) in full beauty. Mr. Fitch's drawing was taken from an exquisite variety, of which Mr. Day is the fortunate possessor, and which he kindly placed at my disposal for the purpose of being figured in this Work. In the Plate the flower-spike is represented as panicled because such—as in the case of all the other varieties—is no doubt its normal state; as yet however racemes only have been produced.

The treatment recommended for otherOdontoglossa(see under Plate I.) will suitO. Pescatorei, which is as easily managed as any of the genus.

Dissections.—1. Lip, seen sideways; 2. Lip, front view:magnified.

Dissections of Odontoglossum Pescatorei

Plate VI

Odontoglossum pendulum.Odontoglossum pendulum.

Odontoglossum pendulum.

ODONTOGLOSSUM PENDULUM.

PENDENT-FLOWERED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Trymenium) pseudobulbis subrotundis compressis lævibus diphyllis, foliis oblongo-ligulatis obtusis racemo pendulo multifloro paulo brevioribus, sepalis oblongis obtusis petalisque conformibus subæqualibus, labello unguiculato reniformi basi excavato marginibus callosis, clinandrii alis lateralibus subtruncatis dorsalique rotundato denticulatis.Odontoglossum citrosmum,Lindl. Bot. Reg.1842,Misc.68; 1843,t.3;Fol. Orch. n.59;Warner's Select Orchidaceous Plants,t.28;Lemaire,Jard. Fl.t.90.Cuitlauzina pendula,La Llace et Lexarza,Orch. Mex.2;Reichenbach, fil.,Bonplandia, iii. 15, 16.Habitat inMexico,Lexarza,Karwinski,Barker.

Odontoglossum citrosmum,Lindl. Bot. Reg.1842,Misc.68; 1843,t.3;Fol. Orch. n.59;Warner's Select Orchidaceous Plants,t.28;Lemaire,Jard. Fl.t.90.

Cuitlauzina pendula,La Llace et Lexarza,Orch. Mex.2;Reichenbach, fil.,Bonplandia, iii. 15, 16.

Habitat inMexico,Lexarza,Karwinski,Barker.

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbsclustered together, 2 to 4 inches long, compressed, ovate or almost round, smooth and glossy, 2-leaved.Leaves6 inches to a foot long, leathery, oblong-ligulate, obtuse, rather shorter than the raceme.Racemeissuing at an early stage from the young growth, pendulous, many-flowered, rarely branched, longer than the leaves.SepalsandPetalssimilar in form, pure white, or in some varieties of a faint blush or rose-colour, frequently sprinkled with minute red dots, oblong, obtuse, about an inch long.Lipunguiculate, kidney-shaped, channelled (with the solid edges turned up) along its base, on which there is a patch of yellow, with a few bright dots in the position where a crest (here entirely wanting) is usually placed; the colour of the disk of the lip varies in different specimens, being sometimes entirely white and sometimes tipped with faint rose-colour or deep-crimson.Columnwith upper and lower wings (all of which are toothed), that on the back being rounded and the others truncated.

Early in the present century, two Spaniards—La Llave and Lexarza by name—settled at the Mexican town of Valladolid, in the fertile province of Mechoacan. They were both attached to botany, but the younger of the two, Lexarza, was so attracted by the beauty of the numerous Orchids of the district that to these he devoted himself with an ardour that would have done honour even to the Lindleys and Reichenbachs of our own day. As the result of his labours a little work—'Orchidianum Opusculum' he modestly styled it—presently made its appearance, wherein about fifty species, all at that time new to science, were described with remarkable accuracy and skill. Among the number there was a plant,—Cuitlauzina pendulahe called it,—said to be of surpassing loveliness and to form an undoubtedly new genus the distinctive characters of which were minutely given. As time went on and the rage for Orchids developed itself in Europe, a keen desire was naturally felt by cultivators to add so fine a plant to their lists; but although many collectors visited Valladolid and laid hands upon nearly all the other desirable Orchids described by Lexarza, still nothing was heard of theCuitlauzina, and on the cover of the latest number of Dr. Lindley's 'Folia Orchidacea' its name may be found in the list of genera "unknown to the author." About the same time I myself addressed a letter to the 'Gardeners' Chronicle' urging some adventurous traveller to take ship for New Spain, mainly with the object of instituting another search for the tantalizing plant that had hitherto eluded our grasp. Yet all this whileCuitlauzina pendulawas amongst us, and indeed had been an established favourite for upwards of twenty years! But if so, it may well be asked, how came it to pass that it was never recognized? For a full reply to this very natural inquiry I must refer the reader to a most ingenious article in 'Bonplandia' (Jahrg. iii. No. 15, 16), by the younger Reichenbach, to whom all the credit is due of having solved a great botanical puzzle, and proved to demonstration that theCuitlauzina pendulaof Lexarza is none other than theOdontoglossum citrosmumof Lindley.[4]

Under these circumstances, however undesirable the meddling with established names, I scarcely see how, in common justice to Lexarza, we can do otherwise than adopt his specific name ofpendula, more especially as it happens that the plant to which he originally gave it remains to this day the only one out of nearly a hundredOdontoglossathat has flower-stems which are strictlypendulous.

Our gardens contain many varieties ofO. pendulum, of which, though all are beautiful, some are far superior to others. That represented in the Plate, and which forms a part of Mr. Rucker's collection, is among the best. Mr. Rucker keeps it in his coolest house, where it is perfectly at home, and produces a profusion of its lovely drooping racemes in May and June. It should always be grown in a pot.

Dissections.—1. Front view of lip and column; 2. Side view of ditto:magnified.

Plate VII

Odontoglossum hastilabium.Odontoglossum hastilabium.

Odontoglossum hastilabium.

ODONTOGLOSSUM HASTILABIUM,Lindley.

HALBERT-LIPPED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Isanthium,Lindl.) pseudobulbis ovatis compressis 1-2-phyllis, foliis oblongis coriaceis, paniculæ exaltatæ ramis spicatis, bracteis cymbiformibus acuminatis ovario æqualibus, sepalis petalisque lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis undulatis, labello apice subrotundo-ovato acuto basi auriculis acutis lanceolatis porrectis aucto, lamellis 5 elevatis, columnæ alis obsolete undulatis, margine versus basin membranaceo dilatato.Odontoglossum hastilabium,Lindley,Orchid. Linden.n.84;Hooker,Bot. Mag.t.4272;Pescatorea,t.11.Habitat inNov. Granada: Tesqua, in the province of Pamplona, at the elevation of 2500 feet, April,Linden; on the road from Santa Martha to the Sierra Nevada,Purdie; Ocaña, January, 5-6000 feet,Schlim,Wagener,Blunt.

Odontoglossum hastilabium,Lindley,Orchid. Linden.n.84;Hooker,Bot. Mag.t.4272;Pescatorea,t.11.

Habitat inNov. Granada: Tesqua, in the province of Pamplona, at the elevation of 2500 feet, April,Linden; on the road from Santa Martha to the Sierra Nevada,Purdie; Ocaña, January, 5-6000 feet,Schlim,Wagener,Blunt.

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbscompressed, ovate, 3 to 6 inches long, bearing 1 or 2 oblong, leatheryLeaves,not more than a third the length of the scape.Bractsboat-shaped, acuminate, equal in length to the ovary.Scapevery robust, from 2 to 6 feet high, panicled, bearing from 20 to 100 flowers.SepalsandPetals1½ to 2 inches long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, slightly waved at the margin, of a pale-green, barred with numerous lines of dark-red or purple.Liphalbert-shaped, purple at the base, but white in its upper portion, which is of a roundish-ovate form, pointed at the extremity; its crest consists of 2 outer and 2 interior plates, the taller stretching forward beyond the former, with a linear-oval callosity in the centre.Columnexpanding at its base on either side into an inflexed membrane.

As this statelyOdontoglossumis met with at a much lower elevation than any of its congeners, it is constitutionally less impatient of heat, and has therefore been able to accommodate itself to artificial conditions under which others of its race in former years have pined and died. But although in some parts of New Granada it descends as low as 2500 feet, its more frequent range is 2000 feet higher up the mountains, and it is in such situations that it attains its greatest luxuriance and beauty. Some imported specimens that I was fortunate enough to see last year (1864) at the Clapton Nursery, whither they had been sent by Mr. Blunt, had flower-stems half an inch thick and fully 6 feet high. These were gathered at an elevation of at least 4000 feet above the sea-level and, as they arrived in excellent condition and have been extensively distributed, I have little doubt we shall ere long see cultivated specimens that may vie with the wild ones in stature and magnificence. Its flowering season is the spring or early summer.

The figure was taken in May last from a plant in Mr. Rucker's collection where it is grown at the coolest end of the Cattleya-house.

Dissection.—1. Front view of lip and column; 2. Side view of ditto:magnified.

Plate VIII

Odontoglossum grande.Odontoglossum grande.

Odontoglossum grande.

ODONTOGLOSSUM GRANDE,Lindley.

GREAT ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Xanthoglossum) pseudobulbis ovatis compressis diphyllis, foliis coriaceis oblongo-ensiformibus scapo simplici brevioribus, sepalis lanceolatis lateralibus convexis falcatis petalisque oblongis obtusiusculis latioribus subundulatis, labello subrotundo basi auriculato sepalis plus duplo breviore, disci cristâ apice truncatâ bituberculatâ utrinque in medio dente calloque auctâ, columnæ tomentosæ auriculis rotundatis convexis incurvis.Odontoglossum grande,Lindl. in Bot. Reg.1840,Misc.94;Bateman,Orchid. Mex.t.21;Morren. Ann. Gand.i.t.37.Habitat inGuatemala,Skinner,Hartweg.

Odontoglossum grande,Lindl. in Bot. Reg.1840,Misc.94;Bateman,Orchid. Mex.t.21;Morren. Ann. Gand.i.t.37.

Habitat inGuatemala,Skinner,Hartweg.

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbscompressed, broadly ovate, 2 or 3 inches long, bearing 1 or more frequently2leathery, oblong-ensiformLeaves,which, as well as the pseudobulbs, have always more or less of a pale-glaucous hue.Scapetwice the length of the leaves, 4-8-flowered.Bractssheathing, acute, half the length of the ovary.Flowersvery large, in some varieties 7 inches or more from the tip of expanded petals.Sepalslanceolate, the lateral ones convex and falcate.Petalswider than the sepals, and, like them, of a rich yellow colour, marked with large deep-cinnamon bands and blotches, oblong, somewhat obtuse at their extremities, and slightly waved at the margin.Lipnot half the length of the sepals, nearly round, whitish, with a few crimson stains near the crest, which is of rich orange-yellow, marked with deep-orange spots, and is seated on the disk of the lip; it consists of 2 large truncate processes in front, with 2 or 4 small teeth at its base; its auricles turn their edges down until they meet under the disk of the lip, and there grow together.Columndowny, with a rounded, incurved, convex auricle on either side.

Mr. Skinner was the fortunate discoverer of this nobleOdontoglossumwhich to this day remains unsurpassed, even among all the fine additions that have of late years been made to the genus. Mr. Skinner found it in a "barranca" (or dark ravine) in the environs of the city of Guatemala, and so closely had it lain concealed that even his quick eye failed to detect it until long after he had, as he thought, exhausted the district of all its finest Orchids. It was afterwards met with in other localities, but invariably in a climate of which the ordinary range of temperature lay between 60° and 70°, and in situations where it was secure of abundant moisture and constant shade. In these peculiarities of its natural habitat the conditions of its successful cultivation are clearly pointed out; yet, strange to say, they were unheeded for twenty years, during which the plants in our Orchid-houses were always in a feeble and sickly state, rarely producing more than two or three flowers on a scape, while the imported specimens showed that at least double that number was the proper quota. Now, however, the case is different, for with a mild temperature and moderate shade they are found to be managed with the most perfect ease and to grow with a vigour that could never have been exceeded in their native wilds. In proof of this we need only turn to the vignette, which is copied from a beautiful photograph kindly sent to me by Joshua Saunders, Esq., and which represents a specimen ofO. grandeas it appeared when flowering in his collection at Clifton. As a further evidence of the ease with which the plant may be grown I may mention that under the care of Major Trevor Clarke it has been induced to bloom in the open air during the summer months. This, however, must only be looked upon as an interesting experiment and is not recommended for imitation.O. grandeusually flowers in July or August, when the season's growth is nearly completed; after this it should be allowed to rest. Mr. Fitch's drawing was taken from a handsome variety that flowered last year (1864) in a north house at Knypersley, and which had been given me by Mr. Skinner.[5]

Dissections.—1. Front view of column and labellum; 2. Side view of ditto:slightly magnified.

Plant of Odontoglossum grandePlant ofOdontoglossum grandein the collection of Joshua Saunders, Esq., copied from a photograph taken by himself.

Plant ofOdontoglossum grandein the collection of Joshua Saunders, Esq., copied from a photograph taken by himself.

Plate IX

Odontoglossum nævium.Odontoglossum nævium.

Odontoglossum nævium.

ODONTOGLOSSUM NÆVIUM,Lindley.

SPECKLED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Euodontoglossum) pseudobulbis ovatis compressis, foliis tenuibus lanceolatis basi angustatis scapo racemoso vel subpaniculato multifloro nutante subæqualibus vel longioribus, sepalis petalisque angustis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis undulatis, labello subconformi pubescente vix hastato, cristæ dentibus 2 grossis bi- vel subtrilobis pubescentibus, columnæ cirrhis subulatis patulis.Odontoglossum nævium,Lindley in Paxton's Flower Garden, i.t.18;Flore des Serres, vi. 594;Pescatorea,t.13;Warner's Select Orchidaceous Plants,t.7;Reichenbach fil. in Bonplandia, ii. 278.Habitat inVenezuela,Funck and Schlim(721), in the province of Truxillo, near S. Lazaro and La Peña, 6000 feet;New Granada, in the province of Pamplona, flowering in August, 8000 feet,Linden(146).

Odontoglossum nævium,Lindley in Paxton's Flower Garden, i.t.18;Flore des Serres, vi. 594;Pescatorea,t.13;Warner's Select Orchidaceous Plants,t.7;Reichenbach fil. in Bonplandia, ii. 278.

Habitat inVenezuela,Funck and Schlim(721), in the province of Truxillo, near S. Lazaro and La Peña, 6000 feet;New Granada, in the province of Pamplona, flowering in August, 8000 feet,Linden(146).

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbsovate, compressed, somewhat bluntly ribbed, bearing 1 or 2 narrow-oblongLeaves,tapering at the base, about equal in length to or more frequently shorter than the many-flowered flower-scape.Flowersarranged on a nodding raceme (occasionally a panicle is formed), pure white, speckled everywhere with rich crimson or brown.Bractsvery short, scale-like.SepalsandPetalsovate, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, spreading equally, much waved, from 1½ to (in some varieties) 2 or 2½ inches long.Lipshorter than the petals, but nearly of the same form and colour, except that there is a yellow crest with a large crimson blotch in its front; at its base the edges of the claw clasp the column.Teethof the crest yellow, small, distinct, with 2 or 3 unequal blunt lobes to each, downy.Columndowny, narrowed to the base, with a pair of awl-shaped ears near the summit, below the anther-bed.

This brilliantOdontoglossumwas first discovered by the late Sir Robert Schomburgk, and having been shipped with his other collections from Demerara, has long been supposed to be a native of the latter colony. I am, however, satisfied that, beyond the circumstance alluded to, there is not the slightest reason for regarding it as a Demerara plant, for no other collector has ever found it there, nor would its constitution endure so hot a climate. As Sir Robert, in his memorable expedition into the interior of Guiana (1835-37), reached an elevation of 7000 feet, on the fourth parallel of latitude, and among the southern affluents of the Orinoco, I have little doubt that it was in this region that he discoveredO. nævium,along withMaxillaria eburnea,Diothonea imbricata, and other treasures that have never yet found their way to us in a living state.[6]

O. næviumand its varieties appear to be extensively distributed, having been met with in many localities, both in Venezuela and New Granada, always, however, at a very considerable elevation, and hence the necessity of cool treatment. If this be conceded, the plant is of the easiest culture and will flower abundantly in May or June. The figure was taken from a splendid specimen in Mr. Rucker's collection.

I do not think it necessary to adhere any longer to Dr. Lindley's distinction (as noted in the 'Folia Orchidacea') of a "major" variety, for this is now found to pass insensibly into the ordinary type. The former has sometimes been confounded with theO. gloriosumof Reichenbach, but this is a perfectly independent form, and as such will shortly be figured in this work.

Dissections.—1. Front view of lip and column; 2. Side view of ditto:magnified.

Dissections of Odontoglossum nævium

Plate X

Odontoglossum carinatum.Odontoglossum carinatum.

Odontoglossum carinatum.

ODONTOGLOSSUM CARINIFERUM,Reichb. fil.

KEEL-PETALED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Xanthoglossum) pseudobulbis oblongis 1-2-phyllis, foliis loratis scapo paniculato brevioribus, sepalis petalisque oblongis acutiusculis basi subcuneatis dorso carinâ crassâ auctis pergameneis, labello membranaceo sessili ligulato dimidio anteriori subito in laminam reniformem denticulatam medio antice apiculatam extenso, lamellis rhombeis extrorsum biquadridentatis supinis utrinque in ligulâ labelli basilari, raphi utriusque lamellæ carinatâ antrorsum in tres digitos excurrente, columnâ elongatâ, alis elongatis crenulatis hyalinis inferioribus 2 utrinque obtusatis, crassioribus columnâ vix marginatâ. (Reichb. fil. in Bot. Zeitung, 1852,p.638.)Odontoglossum cariniferum,Lindl. Fol. Orch.Habitat inAmerica centrali,Reichenbach.

Odontoglossum cariniferum,Lindl. Fol. Orch.

Habitat inAmerica centrali,Reichenbach.

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbs3 or 4 inches long, oblong, smooth, bearing 2 broadish, leathery, sharp-pointedLeaves.Scapelonger than the leaf, panicled with zigzag branches.Bractstriangular, short.SepalsandPetals1 inch long, greenish outside, but of a purplish-brown inside, distinctly keeled at the back.Lipyellowish-white, sessile, ligulate at its base, but suddenly changing into a broad reniform plate, which is apiculate in front, and at its base adjoins the crest, which consists of 2 nearly prostrate, irregularly toothed, rhomboid lobes on either side, with 3 finger-like processes in front.Columnelongated, with transparent crenulate wings, its anther-bed scarcely margined.

For the opportunity of figuring this prettyOdontoglossumI am indebted to the kindness of the Bishop of Winchester, in whose collection at Farnham Castle it flowered profusely in November last. A fortnight afterwards I also received specimens from Mr. Rucker, but the flowers of his variety were scarcely so bright in their colouring as those of the Bishop's plant.

O. cariniferum, although now figured for the first time, appears to have been introduced several years ago to German collections, and from some of these it has, no doubt, found its way to England. It is a native of Central America, where it probably affects a high elevation, as it succeeds perfectly under cool treatment, both at Farnham Castle and at West Hill. Its flowers continue in perfection for many weeks.

Dissections.—1. Front view of lip and column; 2. Side view of ditto:magnified.

Plate XI

Odontoglossum Lindleyanum.Odontoglossum Lindleyanum.

Odontoglossum Lindleyanum.

ODONTOGLOSSUM LINDLEYANUM.

DR. LINDLEY'S ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Euodontoglossum,Lindl.) pseudobulbis ovato-oblongis compressis diphyllis, foliis lanceolatis subcoriaceis acutis scapo racemoso multi-(5-12)floro vix brevioribus, sepalis petalisque lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis subæqualibus, labello angusto unguiculato hastato utroque latere angulato in disco bifalcigero basi per carinam cum columnâ connato. Columna tomentosa, auriculis erectis angustis acuminatis.Odontoglossum Lindleyanum,Reichenbach fil.:Warsz. Bonpl.ii. 69;Reichenbach,Xenia Orch.t.71;Walpers,Annales.vi.fasc.6.Odontoglossum epidendroides,Lindl. fil.(non Hb. Kth. N.G.).Habitat inPamplona(in sylvis humidis), 8500 ft.,Linden; Ocaña, 9000 ft.,Schlim; Ocaña (floribus majoribus),Wagener; Bogotá,Weir.

Odontoglossum Lindleyanum,Reichenbach fil.:Warsz. Bonpl.ii. 69;Reichenbach,Xenia Orch.t.71;Walpers,Annales.vi.fasc.6.

Odontoglossum epidendroides,Lindl. fil.(non Hb. Kth. N.G.).

Habitat inPamplona(in sylvis humidis), 8500 ft.,Linden; Ocaña, 9000 ft.,Schlim; Ocaña (floribus majoribus),Wagener; Bogotá,Weir.

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbsabout 3 inches long, ovate-oblong, compressed, 2-leaved, sometimes a little spotted.Leaveslanceolate, from a span to a foot long, rather leathery, sharp-pointed.Racemerather longer than the leaves, bearing from half-a-dozen to a dozen flowers.Bractsoblong, acute, about one-third the length of the ovary.SepalsandPetalsnearly equal, an inch or more long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, of a yellowish-green, with a few large chestnut blotches, the arrangement of which varies in different specimens.Lipshorter than the petals, narrow, unguiculate, hastate, 3-lobed; the lateral lobes forming two blunt angles, the middle lobe longer, linear-lanceolate, deflexed, with two large upright slightly-curved horns placed on either side of the disk; at its base the lip is keeled and united with the column after the fashion of the Trichopilias; its colour is usually a pale yellow or yellowish-white with large chestnut bands.Columndowny, furnished near the summit with two narrow erect upright acuminate auricles.

The name of this plant, associated as it is with the memory of the distinguished botanist who has lately passed from among us, is to me suggestive of the most melancholy reflections. Mourn indeed I must, the loss of one who had been my steady friend for five-and-thirty years, and by whose labours among the members of my favourite tribe, I have been enabled to follow a pursuit that has never ceased to be a joy and solace amid all the cares and vicissitudes of life![7]

O. Lindleyanumwas so named by Professor Reichenbach, in honour of the great Orchidist whose mantle seems now to have fallen upon himself. It is closely allied to theO. epidendroidesof Humboldt and Kunth, from which indeed Dr. Lindley failed to distinguish it, but if the characters of the two species, as represented in the 'Xenia,' prove to be constant, no doubt the German Professor was right in separating them.

Several travellers, including Schlim, Wagener, Warszewicz, and Weir, appear to have met with the plant in various localities in New Granada, but always at a great elevation, hence it must of course be classed among the coolest section of Orchids. It has flowered in the gardens of the Horticultural Society, to which it was sent by their zealous collector Mr. Weir, and also in the collection of Mr. Rucker, where Mr. Fitch made his drawing in the spring of last year (1865).

Dissections.—1. Lip and column, seen sideways; 2. Ditto seen in front:magnified.

Plate XII

Odontoglossum gloriosum.Odontoglossum gloriosum.

Odontoglossum gloriosum.

ODONTOGLOSSUM GLORIOSUM.

FINE ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Euodontoglossum,Lindl.) pseudobulbis ovatis confertis diphyllis, foliis lato-lanceolatis acutis scapo valido paniculato multifloro brevioribus, sepalis petalisque oblongo-ligulatis acuminatis stellatis, labello a basi cordatâ ligulato acuminato, basin versus utrinque angulato, ceterum hinc illinc denticulato, callo depresso quadrilobulo nunc quadridentato ante basin, columnâ clavatâ apice utrinque cirrho setaceo medio inferne unidentato.Odontoglossum Gloriosum,Reichenbach fil.Bonpl.ii. 278;idem in Gardeners' Chronicle(New Plants,n.293, 1865),et in Walpers,Annales, vi.fasc.6.Habitat inN. Granada, Soto. 8-9000 p.,Schlim; Ocaña, 6000 p.,Wagener; Bogotá,Weir.

Odontoglossum Gloriosum,Reichenbach fil.Bonpl.ii. 278;idem in Gardeners' Chronicle(New Plants,n.293, 1865),et in Walpers,Annales, vi.fasc.6.

Habitat inN. Granada, Soto. 8-9000 p.,Schlim; Ocaña, 6000 p.,Wagener; Bogotá,Weir.

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbsovate, 2-leaved, growing closely together, 3 or 4 inches long, turning to a dark colour when old.Leavesbroadly-lanceolate, acute, shorter than the stout much-branched many-flowered panicle.Flowersexceedingly variable in size and form and colour; the example in the Plate representing one of the largest varieties, and the vignette one of the least. Usually they are about 2 inches across, of a pale ochrish or greenish-yellow, blotched, or sometimes minutely spotted, with dark-chestnut.SepalsandPetalsnearly equal, lanceolate, acute (often narrower than in the figure), slightly waved.Lipligulate, smooth (not crisp) at the margin, very much attenuated in front, but heart-shaped at the base, towards which it is abruptly carinate, and furnished with 2 upright large sharp double teeth.Columnclavate, with hairy cirrhi on either side near its apex, and a solitary tooth near the middle.

This remarkableOdontoglossumwas long since discovered in New Granada by Schlim and Wagener, in whose herbaria its stately many-flowered panicles formed so striking a feature that Professor Reichenbach did not hesitate to give the plant the name ofgloriosum; an epithet which—now that we have the plant amongst us in a living state—may perhaps be thought to be somewhat beyond its merits. It must indeed be admitted that the fresh blossoms, which are of a faint yellowish-green, scarcely realize the expectations which the rich colour and profusion of flowers in the dried specimens had very naturally raised. Nor are all the varieties of equal merit, some being much smaller and paler than others.

The species has lately been imported in large quantities, both by Messrs. H. Low and Co., of Clapton, and by the Horticultural Society, who received it in 1864 from Mr. Weir, by whom it was gathered in the neighbourhood of Bogotá. It flowers freely, and at all seasons of the year; nor does it appear to care so much as many of its congeners for a few degrees more or less of heat or cold. I believe it has already bloomed in almost every collection of note; though the spikes, as was of course to be expected, are as yet far from equal to the wild specimens.[8]The figure was taken from a plant in Mr. Day's garden, where I saw, in November last, nearly a dozen distinct varieties in blow, some of them rivalling the example given in the Plate, while others were as insignificant as that which is shown in the vignette. The blossoms continue fresh for at least a fortnight, and emit a pleasant honey-like scent.

Flower of Odontoglossum gloriosum

Dissections.—1. Lip (magnified), seen sideways; 2. Ditto, seen in front.

Plate XIII

Odontoglossum Warneri.Odontoglossum Warneri.

Odontoglossum Warneri.

Odontoglossum stellatum.Odontoglossum stellatum.

Odontoglossum stellatum.

ODONTOGLOSSUM WARNERIANUM,

MR. WARNER'S ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Leucoglossum,Lindl.) pseudobulbis subelongatis compressis monophyllis, foliis membranaceis oblongis in petiolum canaliculatum angustatis scapo 2-6-floro brevioribus, bracteis uncialibus acuminatis, sepalis lineari-lanceolatis acutis, petalis latioribus undulatis, labelli callo cuneato ovato, antice abrupte trilobo, lobis lateralibus angulatis, lobo medio forcipato bicruri, longiori, lateribus calli a basi versus apicem involutis, laminâ cordato-triangulâ obtusâ, margine minute crispulâ crenulatâ, columnâ gracili clavatâ apterâ.Odontoglossum Warnerianum,Reichenbach fil. in Mohl and Schl. Bot. Zeit.1864, 297;idem in Gardeners' Chronicle, 1865,New Plants,n.294.Habitat inMexico(?).

Odontoglossum Warnerianum,Reichenbach fil. in Mohl and Schl. Bot. Zeit.1864, 297;idem in Gardeners' Chronicle, 1865,New Plants,n.294.

Habitat inMexico(?).

DESCRIPTION.

Pseudobulbsrather long and narrow, compressed, about 3 inches in length.Leaves,one on each pseudobulb, less than a span long, membranous, sharp-pointed, narrowed at the base into a channelled petiole.Bractsabout an inch long, scariose, very acuminate.Scapelonger than the leaves, only partially covered by the bracts, bearing from 2 to half-a-dozen flowers of a very delicate texture, and of snowy whiteness with the exception of the yellow crest on the lip and a few brown blotches on the lower half of the sepals and (though in a less degree) of the petals also.Sepalsrather narrow, oblong, acute.Petalsbroader than the sepals and waved at the margin.Lipwith a heart-shaped crenulate plate (occasionally suffused with a rosy tint), and a yellow 3-lobed callus at its base, the front portion of which is longer than the lateral ones (which are turned inwards from the base upwards), and split into two divergent members.Columnslender, clavate, wingless.

This pretty species was first described by Professor Reichenbach, from materials derived from the collection of Mr. Warner, of Broomfield, in compliment to whom he named it. It also flowered with the late Mr. Cauty, of Liverpool, who kindly sent me the specimens from which the figure was prepared, but these were smaller and less rich in their colouring than those of Mr. Warner.

We have no precise information as to the locality whereO. Warnerianumgrows wild, but there can be no doubt that it comes from some part of Mexico, whence we have other species,e.g.O. Rossii,O. Ehrenbergii, andO. nebulosum, to all of which it is nearly allied. It flowers in the later autumn and winter months, but like most of the other members of its section (Leucoglossum), is of a delicate habit, and requires to be very carefully handled. It seems to prefer a moderate heat and perhaps a slightly drier atmosphere than that in which the New Granada and Peruvian Odontoglossa evidently delight; the compost or materials in which the roots grow, should on no account be allowed to become sodden.

Dissections.—1. Lip and column (magnified), seen in front; 2. Ditto, seen sideways.

ODONTOGLOSSUM STELLATUM.

STELLATE ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (Leucoglossum,Lindl.) pseudobulbis ovalibus compressis, foliis solitariis lanceolatis recurvis, scapis erectis 1-2-floris brevioribus, bracteis ovarii triquetri medium non attingentibus, sepalis petalisque æqualibus linearibus acuminatis herbaceis, labello rhomboideo subrotundo grosse dentato appendice unguis truncatâ quadridentatâ apice liberâ.

Odontoglossum stellatum,Lindl. in Bot. Reg.1841,Misc.25;Fol. Orch.n.18.

Odontoglossum erosum,Reichenbach fil. Bonpl.ii. 99;A. Rich. Gal. in Ann. Sc. Nat.Jan. 1845.

Habitat inGuatemala,Skinner;Mexico,Hartweg;Veraguas,Warszewicz.

DESCRIPTION.

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