O D O N T O C i L O S S U M IN'Sl.KAYI ¡.ml S P L E N D F A ' S avm,/
OnONTCKiLOSSUM IXSLK
paucidoro credo, brîictcis lineari
siibn:qiialibus, labclli auricuHs b:
callo ligul.ilo in cornua duo cxc
jscudobulbis soniiovalls comprcssis diphyUiii, foliis
5 ovanis pcdicellalls lunge brovioribus, scpalis ci
lus rctropiis sòmiobloiiEÌs scu triaiigulis aciitiM, he
Oncuuu.m Insllayi, Barker, in Lindl. Bot. Rug. ÌS40, misc. si ! ; H.i
SerrcH, 1.43 1 (•'•"'l'^"'
lite man Odontoglos.«um, ta
(U.)! Journ.ll Hort- Suc.,
445 ! etiam dicilur Odonto
OnoNTOl'.LOS.SU>t iNSI.E.Wt, I.iiiill., Folia 1., Odoiitr^lossiim, Nr, 8 :
(OnONTOGLOSSUM [N.SI.KAV: MACIUXTMUM, Lindl. l'Olia 0., Nr. 8
Sclütciierianum, Rclib. f. Teste T. Moore in Williams' Oreliid Manual, ed. 5
Mores pulchcrrime flavi bruiinco puqjurco picli.
Crescit i" Mexico, imde primus viaior Rom ad dorn Barker, Birmingli
riorcl Novembri sc ücccrabr.
A PANTIIEKINUM, Rclib. f., Gard. Chron, c?73,
Rcpcritur in Mexico, ubi in Sierra Madre 2 b. Roezl et fralribu« ICInboch iccn
de l'rcgny, Genève. In hortfs " Icopardinuni " vulgo dicilur.
R, Rchb. r, Gard. Chron., 1868, 1038! ; scpalis Icpalisquc splendi
. Gard. Chron. 1SS6, March ö, xyl pag. JOS, pag, 304, Ic
ormalera plantam parce, imo parcis,simc obvia, primurn a
. 211; Paxlon MaR., 8, 2ÖS ! ; V
iii^îSl xyl! I
>it, qui in honnrcm honulani sui nominavit. Re|icrilur
sei>alis tcpalisque lalioribus abrupte ac hieroglyphicc fasciatis, labclln circa 11
. -N'upcr egregie cultura misit Baroness.-! Adolphe de Uoth'chiId. Pavillon
cnstaneis, margino tanliini hinc iliinc llavis, labello flavo, pulchcrrimc
Tigura: analytic^e
Tun beautiful Mexican Orchid herewith illustrated is a rare variety of a spccies belonging to a small but very distinct
section of the genus known as Xanthoglossum, so atlled because all the species have flowers with yellow lips. The noble
O. grande may be regarded as the type of the section, among the members of which a strong family likeness prevails.
There are four of the group in cultivation, viz., Insleayi, the most northern form inhabiting Mexico, O. grande and
Williamsianum from Guatemala, while ftirthcr south, in Costa Rica, O. Schlleperianum is found. These plants resemble
each other in growth, having compressed pseudo-bulbs, leathery foliage of a pale green colour, and similarly shaped flowers
in which yellow predominates,
O. Insleayi is an old introduction, having been first flowered in this country in 1840 by Mr. Barker, of Birmingham,
who named the jjlant after his gardener. E\'er since then it has been somewhat rare in gardens, but as soon as
its wonderful variety, which Reichenbach named splendens, cropped up out of an im|>ortation in 1868, renevved interest
was directed to this Orchid- A few years later another variety ap|)eared, an<l this Reichenbach named pantherinum, now
generally known in gardens as leopardinum. This variety, like splendens, is superior in beauty to the type, which has
yellow flowers, barred and spotted with a dullish brown. The beauty of the splendens variety is admirably shown by our
plate, which represents one of the best forms, for individual plants vary a good deal as regards the size of the flowers anil
their markings and brilliancy of colour. Some have the blotches on the labellum much heavier than others, and others,
again, vary in the breadth of the petals, sepals and lips. Generally the flowers measure about four inches across, with the
sepals and petals of a bright chestnut brown, tipped and bordered with yellow. The lip is invariably of a beautiful clear
chrome yellow, with small crimson-red blotches usually arranged in a mai^inal zone. It is unquestionably one of the finest
of cultivated Orchids, and as it blooms in early autumn, when Orchid Rowers arc not abundant, it is the more valuable.
This variety inhabits the mountains of western Mexico, and is rare even in a wild state, for, like other precious
varieties, it does not grow plentifully in districts by itself, but is found in company with the commoner variety pantherinum,
on the same trees. Usually there is but one splendens variety to be found among hosts of plants of other forms, but on one
occasion our collector saw a dozen plants in bloom on one tree, doubtless the pi-ogeny of a single plant. Under these
circumstances it is doubtful if ever it will become a common plant in cultivation, for it can never be imported in quantity,
like Insleayi itself, or its relatives, grande and Schlieperianum.
As regards its culture, like grande and others of the group, it is not difficult to manage. As in thecaseof other Mexican
Orchids the essential conditions are abundant light and sun heat, and a distinct resting period. It should be kept quite
dry from the time it flowers in autumn until May, and at the same time it must be kept cool, that is to say, with a minimum
temperature of 50 deg. F„ and a maximum of 65 deg. from artificial heat. About the beginning of May the plant
will commence active growth, and then it should have no lack of water, and all the sunlight that can be given it, indeed,
throughout the summer it requires no shading. This treatment should be continued until the flowering period. It may
be grown successftilly either in pots or baskets; some prefer the latter, as the plants can then be suspended close under the
roof and thus receive the full benefit of light and air.
Drawn by permission of the Duke of Marlborough from a plant in the Blenheim Collection,