Chapter M: Reichenheim's Odontoglossum

O. (ISANTHIUM, _Lindl._) pseudobulbis oblongis aggregatis diphyllis vix
sulcatis, foliis oblongo-lanceolatis acutis scapo maculato laxe
paniculato 3-plo brevioribus, bracteis brevibus membranaceis, sepalis
petalisque subæqualibus oblongo-lanceolatis apiculatis, labello oblongo
basi cordato apice obtusato lobulato, callo tumido utrinque ante basin,
carinâ geminâ in imâ basi.

ODONTOGLOSSUM REICHENHEIMII, _Reichenbach fil. in Bonpl._ iii. 214; _idem
in Pescatorea_, _sub t._ 19; _Walpers_, _Annales_, vi. _fasc._ 6.
_Lemaire in Illustr. Hortic. pl._ 213.

Habitat in MEXICO, _Ghiesbreght_.

DESCRIPTION.

_An epiphyte._ PSEUDOBULBS _oblong, slightly furrowed, from 2 to 4 inches
long, clustered together_. LEAVES _2 on each pseudobulb, shining and
leathery, oblong-lanceolate, pointed, about a foot long, much shorter
than the scape_. SCAPE _upright or nodding, from 2 feet to a yard high,
spotted, loosely panicled, bearing from 10 to sometimes probably 50
flowers_. BRACTS _few, short, and membranous, fitting close to the stem_.
SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly equal, oblong-lanceolate, apiculate, about an
inch long, greenish-yellow, barred with dark purplish-brown_. LIP _purple
in some varieties, in others white, with a horseshoe-shaped band of
purple on its disk, oblong, rather blunt, and slightly lobed at the apex,
somewhat heart-shaped at the base, where there is a callosity on either
side, and a double carina_. COLUMN _very slightly winged_.

This pretty species is well figured in 'Pescatorea,' where it is stated to be a native of Mexico, whence it was introduced by M. Linden, of Brussels. It was from his establishment that I derived the plant that is represented on the other side, and which flowered at Knypersley in May last (1865). It appears to be very easily managed, requiring the same temperature and treatment as _O. læve_, to which it is nearly allied, and which forms the subject of the following Plate. It is also very closely related to _O. Karwinskii_; and I do not feel certain that the two may not eventually have to be united. At present, however, so few plants of either kind exist in the collections of this country, that the materials necessary for an extensive comparison are not forthcoming.

The specific name was given by Professor Reichenbach in honour of M. Reichenheim, of Berlin, whose collection of Orchids and other plants has long been celebrated.

DISSECTIONS.--1. Side view (_magnified_) of lip and column; 2. Front view of ditto.

Plate XVI

PLATE XVI.

ODONTOGLOSSUM LÆVE.

SMOOTH-LIPPED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (ISANTHIUM) pseudobulbis subcompressis sulcatis diphyllis, foliis
oblongo-ensiformibus obtuse acutis apice obliquis, scapis multifloris
brevioribus, floribus laxe racemoso-paniculatis, bracteis brevibus
membranaceis, sepalis petalisque oblongo-linearibus acutis planis,
labelli limbo panduriformi apiculato ungui lævi obsoletissime bidentato,
columnæ alis apice rotundatis crispis basi planis. _Lindl._

ODONTOGLOSSUM LÆVE, _Lindl. in Bot. Reg._ (1844), _t._ 39; _L. Fol. Orch._ _n._ 52.

Habitat in GUATEMALA, _Skinner_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _from 3 to 5 inches long, ovate, subcompressed, furrowed,
2-leaved_. LEAVES _sword-shaped, obtuse, or obtusely-acute, sometimes
slightly oblique at their extremities, a foot or more long, shorter than
the many-flowered flower-stems_. FLOWER-STEMS _loosely branched, 2 to 3
feet long, rather drooping, bearing from 20 to (sometimes) 100_ FLOWERS.
BRACTS _from half an inch to an inch long, sharp-pointed, clipping
tightly hold of the stem_. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly equal,
oblong-linear, acute, plane at the edges, usually about an inch long,
light green, transversely banded with brown_. LIP _with a fiddle-shaped,
apiculate limb doubled back on its unguis or claw, white, changing into
purple at its base, where it is sometimes very obscurely bidentate_.
WINGS _of_ COLUMN _crisp at the edges, plane at the base_.

This is not one of the most attractive species, but its stately appearance, the profuseness with which its flowers are produced and their pleasant aroma, will secure it a place in most collections. It is common in Guatemala, where Mr. Skinner originally discovered it, and it probably extends as far as Mexico, where the nearly allied species (_O. Reichenheimii_), figured in the preceding Plate, is found. As it is only met with at a great elevation, it must be treated as a very "cool" Orchid, under which _régime_ it will flower abundantly in the spring months. The chief danger to be guarded against is that of its exhausting itself--like many species of _Phalænopsis_--by over-much flowering, and to prevent which it is of course only necessary to break off some of the scapes.

DISSECTIONS.--1. Lip, seen in front; 2. Lip and column, seen sideways: _magnified_.

Plate XVII

PLATE XVII.

ODONTOGLOSSUM LUTEO-PURPUREUM.

YELLOW AND BROWN ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (EUODONTOGLOSSUM) pseudobulbis ovatis subcompressis diphyllis, foliis
ensiformibus racemis multifloris nutantibus subæqualibus, bracteis ovatis
acutis squamæformibus, pedicellis internodiis æquantibus, sepalis
petalisque subæqualibus oblongo-lanceolatis acuminatis, labelli breviter
unguiculati lateribus planis, limbo subpanduriformi antice
lacero-serrulato, cristâ ad basin multidigitatâ, columnæ petalis triplo
brevioris vix arcuatæ alis multifidis crinitis.

ODONTOGLOSSUM LUTEO-PURPUREUM, _Lindl. Orch. Linden._ _n._ 85; _Fol. Orch._ _n._ 7.

ODONTOGLOSSUM RADIATUM, _Rchb. Gard. Chron._ (1864, _New Plants_, _n._ 307.)

ODONTOGLOSSOM HYSTRIX, _Bateman in Gard. Chron._ 1864, _New Plants_, _n._ 282.

Habitat in N. GRANADA, prope Quindiu, alt. 8000 p., _Linden_; prope Santa Fé de Bogotá, _Weir_, _Blunt_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _about 3 or 4 inches long, somewhat compressed, ovale,
2-leaved_. LEAVES _sword-shaped, sharp-pointed, a foot or more long,
about the same length as the many-flowered nodding_ RACEMES. BRACTS
_ovate, acute, scaly_. PEDICELS _equalling in length the average spaces
between the_ FLOWERS. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly equal,
oblong-lanceolate (the petals sometimes unguiculate), acuminate, of a
rich chocolate-brown inside, with edges and tips of a greenish-yellow_.
LIP _with a very short claw, fiddle-shaped, at its side-edges plane, its
centre-lobe minutely serrate and apiculate, with a multitude of
finger-like processes (varying in different individuals) seated on the
claw, and with their bristles all more or less inclining forwards. The
upper portion of the lip is white, with a brown base, which again is
banded with white beneath the series of bristles, which are of a rich
golden-yellow_. COLUMN _only one-third the length of the petals, slightly
arched, with lacerated, hairy wings nearly concealing the anther_.

The vicissitudes which the name of this species has had to undergo within the last three years are full of instruction both to botanists and the public. It was first described by Lindley from wild specimens gathered by Linden in the neighbourhood of Quindiu. Mr. Weir was the next to meet with it, and he succeeded in sending to the Horticultural Society several living plants that had been obtained about 100 miles to the south of Bogotá. He also sent wild specimens in admirable condition which, not agreeing with Lindley's description, and being profusely furnished both at the base of the lip and in the apex of the column with long bristle-like appendages, led to my calling it _O. hystrix_ (_i. e._ the Porcupine Odontoglossum). Messrs. Low also received the plant, through their collector Mr. Blunt, from the same locality as that where Weir met with it, and one of their plants produced flowers which--neither agreeing with Lindley's _O. luteo-purpureum_ nor with my _O. hystrix_--received from Professor Reichenbach the name of _O. radiatum_. Subsequently many specimens flowered, no two of which were alike, though they all maintained a sort of distant family resemblance to _O. luteo-purpureum_ of which--as the Professor himself was the first to point out--there can now be no doubt that they are all varieties.

The figure is taken from a plant that flowered in Mr. Day's collection in the autumn of 1865, the flowers of which were twice the size of those of a plant that flowered with me,--but still larger varieties have since appeared in the collections of Lord Egerton of Tatton and Mr. Wentworth Buller.

The species, being found at an elevation of 8000 feet or more, requires very "cool" treatment, and should be referred to what--for reasons stated under Plate XX.--I propose to call the "Peruvian house." In this it is very easily grown, and flowers freely.

The markings in the dried specimens being much deeper than in the fresh flowers, led Dr. Lindley to give it a name (_O. luteo-purpureum_) which is scarcely applicable to any variety that has yet appeared,--no _purple_ tints having been observed.

DISSECTIONS.--1. Front view of lip and column; 2. Side view of ditto: _magnified_.

Plate XVIII

PLATE XVIII.

ODONTOGLOSSUM BICTONIENSE.

THE BICTON ODONTOGLOSSUM.

(VARIETY WITH LEAFY FLOWER-STEMS.)

O. (LEUCOGLOSSUM) pseudobulbis oblongis compressis 2-3-phyllis, foliis
ensiformibus undulatis patentibus scapo racemoso duplo brevioribus,
bracteis herbaceis lanceolatis acuminatis ovario duplo brevioribus,
sepalis petalisque subæqualibus lineari-lanceolatis maculatis, labelli
ungue bilamellato limbo cordato acuminato undulato, columnæ alis
transverse oblongis integris.

CYRTOCHILUM BICTONIENSE, _Bateman_, _Orch. Mex. et Gua._ _t._ 6.

ZYGOPETALUM AFRICANUM, _Bot. Mag._ _t._ 3812.

Habitat in GUATEMALA, _Skinner_; circa 6-7000 ped. alt.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _oblong, 3 to 6 inches long, somewhat compressed, bearing 2
or 3_ LEAVES, _which are sword-shaped, spread open, much shorter than the
upright purple many-flowered_ SCAPE. _The latter, in its normal state, is
unbranched, and destitute of leaves, but in the variety represented in
the Plate has numerous branches, and is leafy at the extremities_. BRACTS
_herbaceous, lanceolate, acuminate, not half the length of the ovary_.
SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly equal, linear-lanceolate, light-green
spotted, or banded with brown_. LIP _with a bilamellate claw and a
heart-shaped, acuminate limb, waved at the margin. In most cases the lip
is white or nearly so, in others it has more or less of a rosy or
purplish tint_. COLUMN-WINGS _transversely oblong, entire_.

The Plate represents a remarkable state of this now well-known plant, which I have observed only in the collection of Mr. Aspinall Turner, of Pendlebury House, near Manchester. In its normal or ordinary condition _O. Bictoniense_ produces--in the winter months--simple, upright flower-stems, but in Mr. Turner's plant the stems are branched, and, what is still more extraordinary, are _leafy_ at their extremities! Nor was this peculiarity confined to the growth of a single season, for it has already reappeared at least three years in succession! It produces a very singular effect, though it can hardly be said to add to the beauty of the plant.

_O. Bictoniense_, so called after Lady Rolle, of Bicton, in Devonshire, was the earliest species of this popular genus that ever reached England alive. It also formed a portion of the first box of Orchids that I ever received from Guatemala, whence they were sent to me in 1835 by my invaluable friend George Ure Skinner, now (1867) alas!--most suddenly and unexpectedly--numbered with the dead!

This is not the place for a memoir of that generous and enthusiastic spirit;--let it suffice to state that Mr. Skinner was on his way to Guatemala for a final visit, when he was attacked by yellow-fever early in February last on the Isthmus of Panama, and carried off after three days' illness! He was collecting plants on the Saturday before his death, and on the Wednesday he was a corpse! He was in his 63rd year, and had he but been permitted to return to England, would have crossed the Atlantic exactly forty times! He was the discoverer of _O. grande_ and _O. Uro-Skinneri_, already figured in this work, and of at least fifty other Orchids, including the well-known _Lycaste Skinneri_ perhaps the most useful and popular of its tribe.

DISSECTIONS.--1. Lip and column, seen sideways; 2. Ditto ditto, seen in front: _magnified_.

Plate XIX

PLATE XIX.

ODONTOGLOSSUM ALEXANDRÆ.

PRINCESS OF WALES' ODONTOGLOSSUM

(WHITE, OR WEIR'S VARIETY).

Of this charming Odontoglossum, which I had the honour to dedicate to H.R.H. the Princess of Wales, there appear to be innumerable varieties. Of these some--like the one figured at Plate XIV.--have crimson spots, others again are spotted with brown, while a third section--like the one represented in the Plate--have flowers of the purest white, relieved only by the rich golden crest of the lip. An excellent example of the latter variety was sent to me nearly two years ago by Mr. Paterson, of Ashville, Partrickhill, near Glasgow, and from this Mr. Fitch's drawing was obtained. Since then, other specimens of the same kind have been communicated to me, especially by Mr. Wentworth Buller, Mr. Jones, of Whalley Range, near Manchester, Mr. Bull, and Mr. Dawson of Meadow Bank. The last was an admirable specimen bearing as it did on a curved stalk about a dozen perfect flowers, all of which faced the same way, so as to form a sort of natural tiara exactly suited to a lady's head and which--especially when worn on dark hair--could not fail to produce a most beautiful effect.

This variety has also flowered at the Royal Gardens, Kew, a fact that is not a little creditable to Mr. Smith's (the Curator's) energy and skill, he being compelled to grow his Orchids in houses that are very ill adapted to such a purpose. Surely the Government of this wealthy country might afford to devote a few hundred pounds to the construction of houses in which these most popular and marvellous plants might be worthily grown!

As the first specimens of the _white_ variety of _O. Alexandræ_ were collected by Mr. Weir, it is only fitting that his name should be associated with it, just as the name of his rival Mr. Blunt has been connected with the variety distinguished by its crimson spots. Plants of both frequently acquire a reddish tint both in their bulbs and leaves, a tint which, wherever it occurs, is a sure criterion by which _O. Alexandræ_ may be distinguished from other Odontoglossa that closely resemble it in habit.

_O. Alexandræ_ proves to be a slow grower, and to require the coolest compartment of the Peruvian house. If this condition be attended to, it gives no trouble whatever, and produces its exceedingly durable flowers very freely indeed.

Dr. Triana met with it on the trunks of very large trees with dense foliage, ten leagues from Bogotá, and also at Pacho.

DISSECTIONS.--1. Lip and column, seen in front; 2. Ditto, seen sideways: _magnified_.

Plate XX

PLATE XX.

ODONTOGLOSSUM MACULATUM.

SPOTTED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (XANTHOGLOSSUM) pseudobulbis oblongis compressis monophyllis, foliis
oblongis nervosis acutiusculis, racemis subpendulis multifloris
brevioribus, bracteis navicularibus herbaceis ovario brevioribus, sepalis
lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis discoloribus, petalis oblongis undulatis
acuminatis, labello cordato acuminato subcrenato, appendice unguis
bivalvi concavâ cochleari apice liberâ bidentatâ per medium argute
serrulatâ, columnâ pubescente subapterâ. _Lindl._

ODONTOGLOSSUM MACULATUM, _Llave_, _Orch. Mex._ 2, 35; _Bot. Reg._ 1840,
_t._ 30; _Pescatorea_, _t._ 28; _Lindl. Fol. Orch._

Habitat in MEXICO, _Lexarza_, _Barker_, _Karwinski_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _narrow, oblong, much compressed, from 2 to 4 inches long,
1-leaved_. LEAVES _lanceolate-oblong, nervose, more or less
sharp-pointed, shorter than the flower-scapes_. BRACTS _boat-shaped,
acuminate, the lower ones shorter than the upper ones, nearly as long as
the ovary_. RACEMES _nodding, sometimes pendulous, 5- to 12-flowered,
about a foot long_. FLOWERS _variable in size and colour, which is
sometimes a brightish at other times only a greenish-yellow, spotted with
brown_. SEPALS _brown inside, linear-lanceolate, acuminate_. PETALS
_rather wide, oblong, waved, acuminate_. LIP _heart-shaped, acuminate,
slightly crenate, with a two-cleft process forming a pair of blunt teeth
at the upper end of the claw_. COLUMN _pubescent, clavate, wingless_.

This plant is common in many parts of Mexico, especially on the Irapæan mountains in the neighbourhood of Valladolid, where it was originally discovered and described by Lexarza, that earliest of Orchid-devotees! It was also one of the earliest species of the extensive genus to which it belongs that ever produced flowers in England. The credit of introducing it belongs to the late Mr. Barker, of Birmingham, with whom it bloomed about the year 1839, but it soon disappeared, like nearly the whole of the invaluable collection of Mexican Orchids that I remember having seen in the most splendid condition, shortly after their arrival, in his stoves. Fifteen years afterwards it was reintroduced by M. Linden, from whose establishment the figure in _'Pescatorea'_ was obtained, but it seems to have again been lost. Last spring (1866) I had the pleasure of seeing the species in the best possible health in Mr. Dawson's rich and admirably-managed collection at Meadow Bank near Glasgow, and from his plant, which flowered in April, Mr. Fitch's drawing was prepared. I also received specimens about the same time from Mr. Turner. Still more recently, Messrs. Hugh Low and Co. have imported it in large quantities and excellent condition, and many good varieties have already appeared, though none that I have yet seen are so fine or so richly coloured as that of Mr. Dawson. One that is now flowering at Knypersley is a dull yellowish-green.

In its native country it flowers in March, which is about the time of its flowering with us. As to treatment it will naturally be found more at home in the Mexican house, where a cool and comparatively dry atmosphere should be maintained, than in the Peruvian house, which should be suited to the species that are accustomed to a damper and--not unfrequently--still cooler climate. I have no doubt that this distinction will be found of much practical utility, for although "cool treatment" as opposed to "warm" marks a very important division still, just as among "warm" plants it is necessary to separate the East Indian Aerides from the Brazilian Cattleyas, so among "cool" plants it will be advisable to separate the Mexican Lælias from the Peruvian Odontoglossa. Nay, I apprehend that what I call the "Peruvian house" will itself have to be subdivided into two portions, one of which, _i. e._ the warm portion, will contain such plants as the Trichopilias, the Anguloas, and such Odontoglossa as are met with below 6500 feet, while the other or cooler portion will be suited to an innumerable multitude of glorious Orchids that are met with at a still higher elevation. Already cultivators have discovered that _O. Phalænopsis_ and _O. nævium_ cannot be made to thrive in the same house, for though both are "cool" plants the former--coming as it does from a lower level--requires a decidedly warmer climate than the latter, and so it will be in many other cases which are not yet so distinctly understood.

DISSECTIONS.--1. Lip and column, seen sideways; 2. Front view of ditto: _magnified_.

Plate 21

PLATE XXI.

ODONTOGLOSSUM HALLII.

COLONEL HALL'S ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (EUODONTOGLOSSUM, _Lindl._) pseudobulbis ovatis, ancipitibus
1-2-phyllis, foliis ensiformibus in basin angustatis, racemo multifloro
(raro sub-paniculato), sepalis petalisque ovato-lanceolatis unguiculatis
labello oblongo acuminato lacero, cristâ baseos lamellatâ multifidâ,
columnæ alis dente superiore aristato.

ODONTOGLOSSUM HALLII, _Lindl. in Bot. Reg. sub t._ 1992, _et Folia
Orchid._; _Reichenbach fil._ Xenia, i. 63; _Walpers Annales_, vi. p. 828.

Habitat in PERU (western declivity of Pichincha), _Hartweg_; Valley of
LLOA, at elevation of 8000 ft., _Col. Hall_; N. GRENADA in forests of
Pamplona, 8500 ft., _Linden_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _ovate, 2 to 4 inches long, compressed, 2-edged, bearing
generally one, occasionally two, lanceolate_ LEAVES, _a foot or more
long_. RACEME _many (10-20) flowered, occasionally though rarely
branched, 2 to 3 feet long_. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly equal,
ovate-lanceolate, exceedingly unguiculate, from an inch to (in some
varieties) an inch and a half or even 2 inches long, yellow with large,
often very dark, blotches of purplish-brown_. LIP _white, with a few rich
spots, oblong-acuminate, jagged at the edges, with a large and handsome
yellow_ CREST, _consisting of a multitude of flattened but sharp-pointed
teeth, pointing sideways and downwards_. COLUMN _white, winged, the wings
broken into teeth or cirrhi, of which the uppermost is much the largest_.

This fine _Odontoglossum_ was one of the earliest known though one of the latest to reach us alive. It is now (1873) plentiful enough, and forms a most attractive object in our spring Orchid-shows. There are many varieties differing greatly in the size and marking of their flowers, but all maintaining the unguiculate sepals and petals which chiefly distinguish it from _O. luteo-purpureum_ (Pl. 17), to which it is indeed very nearly allied. _O. Hallii_ is abundant in New Grenada and Peru, but is seldom met with at a lower elevation than 8000 feet, hence it is quite at home in the coolest part of the "cool Orchid-house," in which it grows and flowers very freely indeed.

In the woodcut, a solitary flower of a larger variety of the species is represented, natural size.

Plate 22

PLATE XXII.

ODONTOGLOSSUM ROSEUM.

ROSY ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. pseudobulbis ovatis ancipitibus 1-phyllis, foliis oblongo-lanceolatis
racemo gracili multifloro duplo brevioribus, bracteis ovatis concavis
subangulatis pedicellis duplo brevioribus, sepalis petalisque
lanceolatis, labello trilobo basi bilamellato: lobis lateralibus nanis
rotundatis intermedio obcuneato acuto, columnâ elongatâ apice alis 3
membranaceis integris auctâ.

ODONTOGLOSSUM ROSEUM, _Lindl. in Bentham Plant. Hartweg_, p. 251. _Reichenbach fil. in Garden. Chron. April 20, 1867._

Habitat in PERU, _Backhouse_, Nuebrada de los Juntas, _Hartweg_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _ovate, two-edged, much compressed, dark-coloured, from one
to two inches long, carrying a short solitary oblong-lanceolate leaf_.
LEAVES _very sharp-pointed linear-lanceolate, not half the length of the
slender nodding graceful many-flowered_ RACEMES. BRACTS _ovate, slightly
angular, much shorter than the_ PEDICELS. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly
equal, lanceolate, acuminate, linear, two-thirds of an inch long, of a
beautiful bright rose colour_. LIP _about same length as the petals, pale
whitish rose, three-lobed, bilamellate at the base, side-lobes rounded,
very small, intermediate lobe sharp-pointed, obcuneate_. COLUMN _standing
forward, rounded, provided at its apex with three membranous wings_.

A charming little species long known by the specimens in the Lindleyan Herbarium. It was introduced--though in very limited quantities--by the Messrs. Backhouse several years ago, since which time it has always continued scarce. In Lindley's Herbarium the racemes are about the length of those represented in the figure, but in a specimen exhibited in 1872 by Mr. Linden the pseudobulbs, leaves, and racemes were nearly twice as large and as long as those in the Plate. The precise treatment that it affects has not yet been distinctly ascertained, but there can be no doubt that, being a denizen of high places on the mountain ranges in Peru, it prefers the coldest house.

Plate 23

PLATE XXIII.

ODONTOGLOSSUM TRIUMPHANS.

SPLENDID ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (XANTHOGLOSSUM, _Lindl._) pseudobulbis ovatis 1-2-phyllis foliis lato
lanceolatis acutis, basi attenuatis, racemo multifloro, bracteis
triangularibus ovario pedicellato 4-5plo brevioribus, sepalis
oblongo-acutis basi bene attenuatis, petalis subæqualibus latioribus,
magis acuminatis, utrinque hinc illinc lobulatis, labello unguiculato
basi bifalci, utrinque bicalloso laminâ panduratâ apiculatâ, columnæ alis
rhombeis ascendentibus margine externo erosulis.

ODONTOGLOSSUM TRIUMPHANS, _Reichenbach fil. Bonpl._ ii. 99; _Walpers
Annales_, vi. p. 831; _Pescatorea_, _t._ 46.

Habitat in N. GRENADA, _Warscewicz_. OCANA, 6000-8000 feet, _Schlim_,
_Wagener_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _ovate, very similar to those of_ O. Hallii, _bearing
generally two stout sharp-pointed_ LEAVES _a foot or more long_. RACEME
_many-(6-18) flowered, half a yard or 2 feet long, rather drooping_.
BRACTS _small and triangular, 4 or 5 times shorter than the ovary_.
SEPALS _1½ to 2 inches long, oblong-acute, narrowed at the base_. PETALS
_about the same size as the sepals, but broader and more acuminate,
sometimes diversely lobed on either side like the sepals, nearly covered
with rich chestnut blotches on a bright yellow ground_. LIP _white with
deep reddish blotches at apex, shorter than petals, unguiculate,
pandurate, partially connate with the column, toothed at the edges,
bicarinate at base, provided with_ CREST _consisting of two sets of
falcate teeth, extending about one-third of its own length_. COLUMN
_white, half the length of the lip, furnished with upright rhomb-like
wings the edges of which are indented_.

This is a very fine species indeed, although it scarcely realizes the expectations excited by the figure in _Pescatorea_, whether as regards the size of the individual blossoms or their colour. In the fresh flowers the prevailing tone is a bright yellow, which serves as a foil to the rich brown or chestnut marking with which the sepals and petals are profusely covered, and which, though to a lesser degree, cover also the lip. But in _Pescatorea_ the lip is represented as white, and as bearing at its upper extremity a rich blotch of bright purple which affords a beautiful contrast to the yellow and brown tints of the other parts of the flower. Probably the figure referred to may have been prepared from dried specimens and hence the mistake as to the colouring.

There are many varieties of this species, some of the best of which were exhibited by Mr. Marshall of Enfield at a meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society as early as April, 1869.

_O. triumphans_ does not appear to be so plentiful in its native habitats as _O. Hallii_, _O. luteo-purpureum_, and many other N. Grenada kinds that now swarm in our collections. The range of elevation within which it grows is nearly identical with that of _O. Hallii_, hence the same treatment is suitable to both. It is easily grown and flowers freely.

Plate 24

PLATE XXIV.

ODONTOGLOSSUM KRAMERI.

KRAMER'S ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. pseudobulbis suborbicularibus valde compressis ancipitibus 1-phyllis,
foliis oblongo-lanceolatis, scapis ascendentibus vel sub-pendulis foliis
brevioribus pauci-(2-5) floris, sepalis petalisque oblongis acutis
subæqualibus, labelli ungue 2-calloso laminâ subquadratâ 2-lobâ
pallide-roseo-violaceâ plagâ basi utrinque semilunari albâ aureo et
purpureo maculatâ.

ODONTOGLOSSUM KRAMERI, _Reichenbach fil. in Gard. Chron._ 1868, p. 98.
_Floral Mag._ _t._ 406 (_sub O. Krameri_). _Hooker in Bot. Mag._ _t._
5778.

Habitat in COSTA-RICA.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _nearly round, flattened, 2-edged, 1-leaved_; LEAVES
_oblong-lanceolate, leas than a foot long, by about an inch wide, longer
than the_ SCAPES _which bear from 2 to 5 flowers_. PEDUNCLES _with the
ovary one to one and a half inches long_. FLOWERS _one to one and a half
inches in diameter_. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _subequal oblong-acute, pale
violet-red in the centre with broad white margins_. LIP _one-third of an
inch wide, neck short, broad, deeply hollowed in front with two erect
calli; limb subquadrate, two-lobed at the apex, angles rounded, the basal
lateral lobes small, reflexed, pale violet-red with two confluent
semilunar white patches at the base, on each of which is a concentric
red-brown band, and a few spots of the same colour on a golden yellow
ground_. COLUMN _short, thick, without wings or appendages_. (Hooker, l.
c.)

This though not a striking is a very distinct plant. It is a native of Costa-Rica, where it seems to be plentiful enough though it long eluded detection. It was first exhibited in 1868 by Mr. Veitch at one of the shows at S. Kensington, but appeared almost simultaneously in the collection of Mr. Day, by whose direction a careful drawing was prepared. Like other Costa-Rica plants, though not requiring a high temperature, it is scarcely content with the small amount of heat that is now allotted to the great majority of cool Orchids. Its proper place would be in the Mexican House. It is a free bloomer.

Plate 25

PLATE XXV.

ODONTOGLOSSUM CORDATUM.

HEART-LIPPED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (EUODONTOGLOSSUM) pseudobulbis oblongis compressis monophyllis, foliis
lato-oblongis planis acutis scapo squamis carinatis vaginato brevioribus,
racemo simplici vel paniculato, bracteis navicularibus acuminatis
membranaceis, ovario multo brevioribus, sepalis petalisque
lineari-lanceolatis acuminatissimis, labello cordato acuminatissimo
integerrimo, appendice unguis carnosâ apice bilobâ basi utrinque dente
unico auctâ, columnâ pubescente clavatâ subapterâ.

ODONTOGLOSSUM CORDATUM, _Lindl. in Bot. Reg._, 1838, _misc._ 90; _Knowles
and Westcott_, _Floral Cabinet_, _t._ 100; _Paxton's Mag._, xiii. 147;
_Regel. Garten-flora_, 1862, 356; _Pescatorea_, i. 26.

Habitat in MEXICO, _Barker_. GUATEMALA, _Hartweg_, _Skinner_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _oblong, very much compressed and very sharp at the edges, 1½
to 2 inches long_. LEAVES _one (rarely if ever two) on each pseudobulb
and broadly-oblong acute shorter than the scape_. SCAPE _and_ RACEME
_sheathed at intervals with long keel-shaped membranaceous_ BRACTS, _few
or many flowered, simple or (more rarely) branched, from one to two feet
high_. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly equal, linear-lanceolate, extremely
acuminate, an inch or more long, greenish-yellow richly blotched with
brown_. LIP _shorter than the sepals heart-shaped, with a very acuminate
slightly recurved apex, white with dark brown spots and a purplish
2-lobed callus at the base_. COLUMN _pubescent, club-shaped, almost
wingless_.

Though scarcely to be classed among the more attractive species, _O. cordatum_ is occasionally seen at our Shows with branching scapes 2 feet high and flowers much more richly coloured than those in the Plate. It is found both in Mexico and Guatemala (whence plants were sent to me by my lamented friend Skinner), but always at high elevations.

It flowers in the early summer without any special treatment, except that it is perhaps more impatient of water than some of its congeners.

Plate XXVI

PLATE XXVI.

ODONTOGLOSSUM ANGUSTATUM.

NARROW-PETALLED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (ISANTHIUM) pseudobulbis ovato-oblongis compressis, foliis longis
lato-lanceolatis erectis acutis paniculâ ramosâ elatâ brevioribus,
bracteis carinatis acutis ovario multò brevioribus, sepalis petalisque
subæqualibus undulatis unguiculatis, labello ovato-lanceolato acuminato
reflexo, cristæ lamellis lateralibus membranaceis trifidis, digitis
anterioribus majoribus, callo obtuso interposito, columnâ apterâ.

ODONTOGLOSSUM ANGUSTATUM, _Lindl. in Bot. Reg._ _sub_ t. 1992, _Folia Orchid._, 48; _Rchb. fil._; _Walper's Annales_, vi. p. 841.

Habitat in PERU, (alt. 8000 ft.,) _Hall_, _Hartweg_, _Linden_.

DESCRIPTION.

_A very stately plant._ PSEUDOBULBS _ovate-oblong compressed, 2 or 3
inches long, 1 (or ? 2) leaved_. LEAVES _one to one and a half feet long,
linear-lanceolate acute, shorter than the upright branching zigzag
many-flowered_ PANICLES. BRACTS _keeled, acute, much shorter than the
ovaries_. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _nearly equal, unguiculate, acuminate,
undulated, white with beautiful purple spots on their lower portions_.
LIP _white, or nearly so, shorter than the petals, ovate-lanceolate, the
apex acuminate and exceedingly recurved, having at its sides two
membranous lamellæ, divided into three unequal parts, those in front the
larger and projecting forwards like horns or fingers with a blunt callus
lying between them_. COLUMN _not half the length of the lip, and
destitute of wings_.

This is a very distinct species, as remarkable among _Odontoglossa_ with its white and purple flowers, as is _Oncidium incurvum_, with blossoms of similar hues, among the innumerable members of that still more extensive genus. Although originally discovered by Colonel Hall more than a quarter of a century ago, no genuine plants--there have been impostors in plenty--seem to have reached Europe alive before the year 1871, when it was introduced by M. Linden; by whom also, in the following spring, flowering specimens were exhibited at South Kensington and universally admired. According to Lindley, the species is nearly allied to his _O. ramosissimum_, from which, indeed, he at one time failed to distinguish it. M. Linden's plant, which is faithfully rendered in Mr. Fitch's drawing, does not exactly answer to the descriptions in the Folia Orchidacea either of _O. angustatum_ or _O. ramosissimum_, but is apparently a connecting link between the two, whence I infer the probability that both the above supposed species will eventually be found to be one and the same.

The plant is still exceedingly scarce, and as it is indistinguishable in habit from many other _Odontoglossa_ derived from the same rich country (Peru), I would warn cultivators against purchasing any specimens that have not actually proved themselves to be true. It belongs to the cooler sections of its race, and must be treated accordingly.

Plate XXVII

PLATE XXVII.

ODONTOGLOSSUM CORONARIUM.

ROYAL ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (TRYMENIUM) rhizomate caulescente, pseudobulbis brunneis ovalibus
compressis monophyllis, foliis rigidis coriaceis basi canaliculatis
acutis racemo multifloro dense racemoso subæqualibus vel longioribus,
bracteis linearibus canaliculatis ovario triplô brevioribus, sepalis
petalisque subrotundis unguiculatis planis margine crispis, labello longê
cuneato retuso basi auriculis unidentatis subfalcatis obtusis subtus in
unam connatis acuto, inter auriculas tuberculis duobus hoc didymo illo
inferiore simplici; clinandrio subserrato lobis rotundatis (_Lindl._)

ODONTOGLOSSUM CORONARIUM, _Lindl. Folia Orchid._; _Linden_, _Pescatorea_,
t. 47.

Habitat in N. GRENADA, _propè_ La Baja, Pamplona, (alt. 7000 ft.,)
_Schlim_.

DESCRIPTION.

_A stout and rigid plant._ PSEUDOBULBS _oval, compressed, 3 or more
inches long, of a brownish hue, placed at intervals on a stiff
caulescent_ RHIZOME. LEAVES _one on each pseudobulb, leathery,
sharp-pointed, channelled near the base, a foot or more long, equal to or
longer than the flower-scapes_. BRACTS _linear channelled, only one third
the length of the ovary_. RACEMES _about a foot high, upright, bearing
from a dozen to twenty flowers in a dense mass_. SEPALS _and_ PETALS
_equal, subrotund, unguiculate, smooth, with their margins crisp or
curled, about an inch long, of a rich reddish coppery brown on the upper
surface, shining as if they had been varnished, yellowish underneath_.
LIP _yellow, retuse, about same length as the petals, obovate, rounded at
apex, narrowed and wedge-shaped at the base, where the sides arrange
themselves into two narrow blunt falcate horns which are united on the
under side_. CREST _consisting of three processes_. COLUMN _slightly
curved with two truncate rounded wings_.

This species has been long known, but it was slow in making its appearance, and slow likewise in flowering after it had reached us. During the last four years both Messrs. Veitch and M. Linden have succeeded in importing it alive, but it has only produced flowers in two or three instances; the finest specimens I have seen being those exhibited by Lord Londesborough during the present spring (1874). Even in its native country it seems to be a shy flowerer. As it is never met with lower than 7000 feet on the mountains of Pamplona, it of course requires a cooler treatment than many of its congeners which affect a lower level. The shining surface of the sepals and petals is very remarkable, and has the appearance of being due to a coat of the best varnish. Another species, _O. brevifolium_, found in lofty mountains in Peru, is closely allied to this, if indeed, which I greatly doubt, it be anything more than a very high-level variety of it.

Plate XXVIII

PLATE XXVIII.

ODONTOGLOSSUM BLANDUM.

PLEASANT ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (EUODONTOGLOSSUM) pseudobulbis ovatis 1-2-phyllis, foliis
lineari-lanceolatis acutis racemis multifloris subæqualibus, sepalis
petalisque cuneato-lanceis acuminatis; labelli ungue bilamellato,
lamellis oblongis antice obtusangulis, laminâ ab ungue cuneato velutino
ampliato ovatâ acuminatâ crispulâ, cornubus brevibus geminis ante
lamellas, antepositis falcibus geminis, tumore parvo interjecto; cirrhis
columnæ basi angulatæ bifidis setaceis.

ODONTOGLOSSUM BLANDUM, _Rchb. fil. in Gardeners' Chronicle_, p. 1342 (1872).

Habitat in OCAÑA, _Blunt_, _Roezl_.

DESCRIPTION.

PLANT _about a span across, in a compact mass_.

PSEUDOBULBS _ovate, somewhat compressed, about an inch long, bearing 1
(rarely 2) narrow lanceolate_ LEAVES _of about the same length as the
slender nodding many-flowered_ RACEMES. _The_ FLOWERS, _of which there
are from six to twelve (or more) crowded together on the racemes, are all
expanded at the same time, and emit a pleasant honey-like smell_. SEPALS
_and_ PETALS _nearly equal, less than an inch long, lanceolate,
acuminate, of a creamy white sprinkled over with numerous crimson dots_.
LIP _about the same length as the sepals, and of the same hue, but
destitute of spots except at the apex, the central portion bearing a
large crimson mark nearly in the form of the letter_ W; _the lip's base
is formed of two parallel blunt lamellæ out of which springs the main
limb which is broadly ovate, curled and jagged at the edges and recurved
and acuminate at its extremity; at the point of junction with the unguis
or claw occur two horned falcate processes, between which a small tumour
is interposed, at foot of which are two short and blunt horns_. COLUMN
_short, bifid, angular with three or four straggling cirrhi or filaments
on either side_.

This pretty little _Odontoglossum_ comes from Ocaña, where it was first discovered by Mr. Low's collector many years ago. At that time none of the plants reached England alive, but some dried specimens that found their way to Professor Reichenbach, enabled the great German Orchidist to name and describe the species; which turns out to be nearly allied to _O. nævium_. It has been met with by M. Roezl and other collectors, but is still a rare plant, as its constitution is apt to succumb under a long journey by sea and land. The specimens from which Mr. Fitch prepared his drawing, flowered in the spring of 1871, in the collection of the Royal Horticultural Society;--the plants having been purchased at one of Stevens' sales, among a "miscellaneous lot" of doubtful things. The species is a free-flowerer, and sends out an agreeable honey-like odour, but in point of beauty is scarcely a rival for _O. nævium_. It seems to require rather more heat than the latter species, which is one of the coolest of cool Orchids.

Plate XXIX

PLATE XXIX.

ODONTOGLOSSUM VEXILLARIUM.

BROAD-LIPPED ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (PHALÆNOPSIDEA) pseudobulbis ovato-oblongis compressis 1-2-phyllis;
foliis pedalibus subglaucescentibus carinatis lanceolatis acutis
pedunculis gracilibus 2-6-floris subæqualibus; bracteis triangulis
minutis; floribus maximis roseo suffusis; sepalis oblongo-ligulatis
apiculatis; petalis conformibus vel paulò latioribus subacutis vel
obtusis; labello maximio flabellato orbiculari bilobo, in unguem brevem
hastatum contracto, carinis quinis abruptis in basi; columnâ brevissimâ
exalatâ.

ODONTOGLOSSUM VEXILLARIUM, _Rchb. fil. in Gard. Chron._ 1867, 901;
_ibid._ 1872, p. 667, _cum Xylo_; 1873, p. 580, 644, _cum Xylo_, 885;
_Hooker in Bot. Mag._ t. 6037; _Illustration Horticole_, 1873, Pl. cxiii.

Habitat in N. GRENADA, _Bowman_, _Wallis_, _Roezl_, _Chesterton_.

DESCRIPTION.

PSEUDOBULBS _flattened, ovate-oblong, an inch or inch and a half long,
bearing one or two keeled sharp-ended lanceolate_ LEAVES _from six inches
to a foot long, by an inch or more wide, with a glaucous tint, especially
on their upper surface_. SCAPES _slender, nodding, about the same length
as the leaves, two to six-flowered, clasped at intervals by small
triangular_ BRACTS. FLOWERS _flat, the largest in the genus, tinted more
or less deeply with lovely rose_. SEPALS _and_ PETALS _somewhat variable
in their relative forms, in most cases nearly the same size, oblong or
obovate apiculate or obtuse, about an inch long, the former nearly white,
the latter of the same hue as the lip_. LIP _generally of a rich rosy
tint, expanding from a narrow sagittate claw into a round and ample,
2-lobed disk, more than double the size of the petals, with five dwarf
calli and some yellow streaks at its base_. COLUMN _very short with
rarely a trace of wings_.

This is the handsomest of known _Odontoglossa_. In the year 1867 Mr. Low showed me a solitary flower, which had been sent to him by his collector (Bowman, I believe), but a discreet silence was observed as to the locality where the prodigy had been found, nor, alas, did living plants ever make their way to the Clapton Nursery. Subsequently the species was met with by Wallis--when collecting for Mr. Linden--and later still by Roezl; but although in each case a large number of specimens were packed up and despatched to Europe, they either died on the passage, or shortly after their arrival. Indeed, cultivators were almost beginning to despair, when, early in the spring of last year (1873), the arrival was announced of a small cargo of the beauteous novelty in most excellent condition at the establishment of Messrs. Veitch; to whom it had been forwarded by Mr. Henry Chesterton. Once safe in the Chelsea collection, it did not put the patience of Orchid-growers to any severe strain, for within little more than three months of its arrival vigorous flower-spikes were produced, and the plant itself exhibited--both in Regent's Park and at South Kensington--to the envy and admiration of all beholders. It seems to be very easy to manage, and produces its flower-scapes with the utmost profusion. Like all its congeners, it must be relegated to the cool Orchid-house, though probably it will be found to prefer the warmest end.

Professor Reichenbach has written several articles in the _Gardeners' Chronicle_ about this plant, in one of which he deplores, and most justly, the wanton waste and havoc committed by collectors; who, instead of contenting themselves with a moderate number of specimens, gather them by hundreds, or even by thousands, thus imperilling the very existence of species which, like the present, are believed to possess only a very restricted habitat. Nor does this recklessness often benefit their employers, for in most cases, the larger the consignment, the smaller the chance of its prospering on its way.

The woodcut is copied from a photograph of a small specimen of _O. vexillarium_, taken in New Grenada, in the act of flowering.

Plate XXX

PLATE XXX.

ODONTOGLOSSUM ROEZLII.

ROEZL'S ODONTOGLOSSUM.

O. (PHALÆNOPSIDEA) affine O. vexillario, pseudobulbis ovato-oblongis
ancipitibus compressis 1-2-phyllis, foliis lineari-ligulatis inferne
striatis pedunculis 1-3-floris longioribus; sepalis oblongo-ligulatis
acutis, petalis sublatioribus; labello a basi angustâ sagittatâ cuneato
flabellato obtuse bilobo; carinis ternis in imâ basi; prepositâ lamellâ
transversâ seu callis parvis geminis; columnâ apterâ.

ODONTOGLOSSUM ROEZLII, _Rchb. fil. Xenia Orchidacea_, ii.; _idem in Gard. Chron._ p. 1302, (_cum Xylo_) 1873.

Habitat in N. GRENADA, _Roezl_; _Backhouse in Gard. Chron._ p. 1334, (1873).

DESCRIPTION.

_A compact plant, of which the_ PSEUDOBULBS _are ovate-oblong, 1-2 inches
long and much compressed; these bear one or two bright green linear
acute_ LEAVES, _which are remarkable for their parallel streaks--nine in
number--on the under side, and are from six to ten inches long, and about
½ inch wide. The_ SCAPES _or_ PEDUNCLES _are shorter than the leaves, and
bear from one to three (possibly more) large and beautiful flowers, which
with the exception of some markings at the base of the petals and on the
lip are of snowy whiteness_. SEPALS _oblong-ligulate pointed at the
extremity, fully an inch long_. PETALS _rather wider than the sepals and
with a rich crimson blotch at their base_. LIP _wedge-shaped, expanding
from a narrow sagittate base into a broad two-lobed disk, an inch and a
half wide, white with some bright yellow markings near the foot and in
the region of the_ CREST; _the latter being formed by three slightly
raised "carinæ" or ridges near the base on either side, traversed by two
moderate sized calli placed in front_. COLUMN _wingless_.

This is a most charming _Odontoglossum_, allied to the preceding and to _O. phalænopsis_, but perfectly distinct from either. Its bright green narrow leaves--streaked like those of _Saccolabium Blumei_, at once distinguish the plant, even when out of flower, from its fascinating rival _O. vexillarium_; which always bears a glaucous hue, and which has larger and broader foliage, and produces double the number of flowers on a scape. The first rumours that reached us of the plant led to a suspicion that it might, after all, be only a variety of _O. vexillarium_, but these unworthy fears were at once dispelled by the flowering of the plant itself at Mr. Bull's nursery in the early part of last September, when Mr. Fitch prepared his drawing, and Professor Reichenbach obtained materials for the description which appeared in the _Gardeners' Chronicle_ of September 27, 1873. The Professor has also given, in his _Xenia_, a characteristic representation of the wild plant constructed from the specimens supplied to him by its fortunate discoverer, Mr. Roezl; in whose honour the species is very properly named. It is a native of New Grenada, and, like _O. vexillarium_, appears to be exceedingly rare; we must not, therefore, murmur if the precise locality--of which the knowledge is a fortune in itself--should be for awhile withheld. But there would have been no harm in telling us the approximate elevation of the native habitat, as the same is always important as a clue to culture; especially in the case of plants with a limited range. In this instance I apprehend that both _O. Roezlii_ and _O. vexillarium_ are not found at a _very_ high level and that therefore--though happily entitled to rank among "cool" Orchids--they must be placed in the warmer division of the "cool" Orchid-house.

The woodcut represents, for purposes of comparison, two nearly allied _Odontoglossa_, viz., _O. pulchellum_ and _O. Egertonianum_; they both come from the same country (Guatemala) and closely resemble each other in habit--only that the pseudobulbs of the latter have much the sharper edges--but the flowers are very different. The spikes of _O. Egertonianum_ (2) are a sort of Orchid-imitation of the racemes of the "Lily of the Valley," though unfortunately they have no perfume, while those of _O. pulchellum_ (1) emit a delicious, almond-like odour, not very unlike that of _Gardenia radicans_; they are, moreover, very chaste and beautiful, and are freely produced during the winter months. Under these circumstances the species has long since become, what it well deserved to be, an established popular favourite. Yet on its introduction some five-and-thirty years ago--I had then just received the plant from my lamented friend Mr. G. U. Skinner--its first feeble attempts to flower left such an impression of its insignificance upon my mind, that I churlishly refused it a place among the magnates of its family in "The Orchidaceæ of Mexico and Guatemala" on which I was then engaged! But greater discrimination in the treatment of our plants--in other words the recognition of the system of "Cool-Orchid-growing"--has led to a more just appreciation of its merits.

NOTES.

[1] The mention of the illustrious traveller's name reminds me of the
obligations under which he laid me when I first visited Berlin, in the
spring of 1836; for, young as I was, he deigned to pour into my
delighted ears all the stores of Orchid-lore collected during his
memorable wanderings among the Andes of New Grenada and Peru. Here, he
said, the greatest store of beauteous Orchids was to be found, and we
are now beginning to realize the truth of his remark.

[2] Cool Orchids from the interior of South America, have either to be
carried across the Andes, where the intense cold of the passes is often
fatal to them, or to be conveyed by a tedious voyage down the great
rivers, where the heat is greater than their constitution--often
delicate--can endure. In this way whole importations have been lost,
including, I am sorry to say, one or two cargoes of the exquisite
_Odontoglossum Warczewitzii_ (figured in Reichenbach's "Xenia") which
still unhappily remains a desideratum.

[3] As most of the _Odontoglossa_ require to be treated in the same way, I
transcribe, from the 'Guide to Cool-Orchid Growing' (Reeve, 1864), the
following instructions for the culture of the genus:--"They will all
succeed perfectly in a low lean-to house facing the north, the mean
temperature of which need not exceed 60°. They should stand on a shelf
of slate or stone, near the glass, but should always be protected from
the direct rays of the sun. Constant humidity should be maintained by
damping the shelves and floors, but the plants themselves will only
require water in moderation, and what is given to them should pass away
freely, for if it stagnates, or if the compost in which they grow
becomes sodden, the roots will immediately decay. A gentle evaporation
is greatly assisted by placing layers of moss--to be kept damp of
course--on the shelves whereon the plants stand. _Odontoglossa_ cannot
endure wooden blocks, but will thrive in a compost of which one-half
consists of small broken potsherds, the remainder being a mixture of
shredded sphagnum (dusted with fine sand) and fibrous peat. About
one-third of the entire depth of the pots may be filled with this
mixture, the other two-thirds containing nothing but large pieces of
broken pots, so as to admit as much air as possible to the roots. The
pots in which the plants are grown should stand on other pots
(inverted) placed in saucers of water, in order to secure humidity and
protect them from wood-lice. Nearly all the species flower during the
winter or spring months, a circumstance that greatly enhances their
value. Many, _e. g._ _O. pulchellum_, are deliciously fragrant, and the
flowers of nearly all the species remain in perfection for weeks,
whether left on the plants or cut for bouquets. In so vast a genus we
shall, no doubt, meet with many idiosyncrasies, but nine-tenths of the
species will flourish under the treatment indicated above, and which
may be regarded as suitable to the majority of cool Orchids. Most
_Odontoglossa_ are, like the _Masdevallias_, very impatient of the
knife, and cannot therefore be rapidly multiplied. They have also a
peculiar aversion to fumigation by tobacco, which causes their leaves
to fall off."

[4] The idea that _Cuitlauzina pendula_ might possibly be identical with
_Odontoglossum citrosmum_ had more than once occurred to myself, but
Lexarza's character of the flower-scape,--which he described as
"_bracteis destitutus_,"--had always proved an insuperable difficulty.
It seems, however, that the scapes of the other _Odontoglossa_ that he
met with happened to be entirely clothed with large inflated bracts;
our present plant therefore, in which they occur only at long intervals
and are exceedingly minute, may in comparison be said to be almost
"destitute" of them.

[5] Mr. Skinner has lately received from Guatemala some magnificent
specimens of _O. grande_, which are incorporated with _masses of Fern_
and other shade-loving plants. Cultivators might make a good practical
use of the well-known maxim "_noscitur a sociis_" in this case.

[6] I copy Sir Robert's description of the locality in which these plants
were found, in the hope that some collector may be induced to visit so
interesting a region:--"The _Diothonea_ was met with on the high
mountain-chain between the sixty-fifth and sixty-sixth meridian and the
fourth parallel of latitude, at an elevation of 6-7000 feet above the
sea-level. The summits of those elevations are thickly covered with two
species of Lichen, the white colour of which conveys the supposition
that the ground is covered with snow. The thermometer stood frequently
in the morning at 57° F., which, connected with the snow-white Lichens,
powerfully reminded us of a winter landscape. Indeed, the stunted
trees, with grey tortuous branches, would have assisted to make the
picture complete, if numerous _Orchidaceæ_, conjointly with green
Mosses, had not clothed them. Indeed, it was the _Orchidaceæ_ alone
that gave the vegetation a tropical aspect.... We discovered the
_Maxillaria_ near Mount Maravaca."--_Lindl. Sert. Orch._ _sub t._ xl.

[7] I allude of course to those remarkable works of Dr. Lindley, the
_Orchidearum Genera et Species_ and the _Folia Orchidacea_ (the latter
of which he was not destined to complete), with which the science of
Orchidology may be said to have arisen, and which will continue its
text-books for all time to come.

[8] It may be well, once for all, to state that in the case of species that
have not been long imported, and which have therefore not had time to
acquire their full strength, the number and arrangement of flowers in
the figures is taken from native specimens where such are available. It
sometimes happens that the "wild" standard is never reached in
cultivation, but it is more frequently exceeded.

End of Project Gutenberg's A Monograph of Odontoglossum, by James Bateman