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ODONTOGLOSSUM CüRON/\RIUlVI LÌ,M.
Pscurìobulbis ovalibus comprcssis monophyllj's, foliis oblongis subacutis rigido coriaceis basi canal ¡cu lai ¡a, racemo dense
canaliculatis ovario triplo brcvioribus, sepaiis petalisque subrotundis unguicmlalis planis margine crispís, labeiio longe cunéalo re
duobus hoc di.lymo ilio inferiore simplici acuto, columna clav.ita clinancirio subscrrato lobis roiundatis.
OnoNTOCLOSSUM CÜROKAKIUM, Lindi. Foi. Oreh., Odont. (1852), p. 21 ; Pcscaiorca, t. 47 i ü^tem. Monogr. Odont., l.
4 ; Walp, Ann., VI., p. 84S ; Veitch Man. Orch, Pl., pt. 1, p. 22 fcxel. syn. O. brcvifolium, et var. ehiriqucnse),
0. (."ANDELABRUM, Linden, ex Pescalorea, sub. t. 47.
0. CORONAKIUM var. DAYANUM, Rchb, f. in Gard. Chron., 187«, pi. 2, p. 226.
0, CORONAKIUM var, MINTATUM, Veitch Man. Orch. Pl., pt. 1, p. 23. O. miniatum, Mort, ex Veitch, I. c.
Odontc^lossum coronariura »as originally described by Dr. Li ti d Icy, in his " Folia Orchidacea," in 1852, from a dried s
previously by Messrs. Funck and Schlim, near La Baja, in the province of Pamplona, Nov Granada, at an allilude of 7floo fc.
Batcman, in liis splendid " Monograph of Odontoglossum," remarks that it had only produced lloivers in t^^•o or three instance!
^e exhibiled by Lord Londcsboroin,'h during the spring of thai year. Its principal habitat is the mountainous regior
:ing
Sala^ar,
lower branches of the trees, but somcl
It also grows in Peru, where Lechler,
is somcvviiat smaller in all its parts, is
ance—inJecd, it is figured in Warner':
indeed, it has been confounded ; wc mi
¡5 found from 8 , , .. . .
the ground at the foot of the trunks, or upon old and decaying trunks that have fallen through age.
as Pearcc, met with it, as is proved by a dried specimen at Kew ; while the variety miniatum, which
have come from Ecuador. The variety Uayanum appears to possess no distinctive character of iinport-
;as above citcd) as typical eoronarium. It is very closely allied to O. brevifolium, Lindl., with which,
•fore, take tiiis opportunity of pointing out briefly how it dilTers from this and three other closcly allied but
is distinelly narrowed below the wings, this part being fully two lines long; the wings tliemselves arc also
more rountled, and the crest different The general features of the plant are well shown in the annexe<l plate and analysis. In O. brevifolium, Lindl.. the
pseudobiilbs and leaves are both shorter and proportionately broader, and the bracts distinctly broader; while that part of the column below the wings is only
a line long, and nearly as broad ; the wings more truncate, tlie side lobes of the lip smaller, and the crest different, the character of the column alone serving
to distinguish it absolutely. It is a native of Peru, and has been in cultivation for many years. 0- chiriquense, Rclib. f., is roadiiy distinguished from both
the preceding by its more membranous, crispo-undulate sepals and petals, the broader claw of the front lobe of the lip, more toothed column wings, and
some other dilferenccs, but the column is short as in 0. brevifolium. It is a native of Cliiriqui, and is excessively rare. 1 only know it by description, and by
a single authentic flower in Lindley's Herbarium, Lastly, 0. Arrainii, Rehb. f., is anotiier fine species only known from description and a drawing in
Liiidley's Herbarium. It is snid to have been found by U'agener, at Ocana, at 7,000 feet altitude, and has not yet appeared in cultivation. Our knowledge
of this section of tiie genus is still very imperfect. K. A. Kol/t.
Icones analytical. Flos .wpalis petali
THIS is without question one of the finest species in a remarkably rich genus, and although it has not proved under
cultivation particularly free in flowering, yet when this desirable result has been obtained the owner is most amply
rewarded for the care and attention that its culture has cost him. We remember some years back seeing a plant in Sir
Trevor Lawrence's collection with a spike carrying twenty-five blooms; it was a foot in length, and 6 inches in width.
This we think, at least as far as our recollection goes, is about the greatest number of flowers that has ever been produced
on a spike in tiiis country.
Some authorities state that a spike of 12 inches will bear from thirty to forty blossoms—it has never been our
fortune to behold this rara avis. We are more inclined to agree with Dr. Lindley's description—/, e., that the spikes
average about a foot in length, and bear as many as eighteen flowers.
Allied to Odontoglossum eoronarium are O. brevifolium, O. miniatum, and O. chiriquense. O. brevifolium comes
from Peru, and is easily distinguished by its smaller bulbs and leaves ; it has a shorter flower spike, and the flowers arc
about iji inches in diameter. O. miniatum is much smaller in all its parts. O. chiriquense is the grandest of all; it
was introduced by us in 1884, after years of unsuccessful attempts to import it; but we at last received a few plants
alive. Out of these, three only were established, and flowers were sent to Prof Reichenbach. The plant is very freeflowering,
and the flowers are larger and more brilliant than those of O. eoronarium.
The plant has become rare in collections, owing no doubt in a great measure to the difficulty experienced in
successfully importing it. It is best grown in cradles, this affording plenty of drainage—in peat and sphagnum moss
—and plenty of moisture; also take care to hang the plant nearly close to the roof of a cool, moist house. Under these
conditions there is no reason why satisfactory results shotild not be obtained. Our own collectors state that in the
wild, cloudy mountains round Ocana, Odont<^lossuni eoronarium is found growing on low, scrubby, dwarf trees and
shrubs, over which the plant rambles and attaches itself in a firm manner by its roots, which
a downward direction among the bushes, grass, and moss to a depth of 5 feet into the cool earth,
this species grows enormously, making large quantities of roots. When the dry season sets in, v
days and densely foggy, wet, cool nights, the plant rests and matures; and if cultivators will in
as pos.iible, success will surely crown their efforts.
Our plate was taken from a plant in the collection of Sir Trevor Uwtcnce. Bart., M.I'., liurford Lodge, Dorking.
the rainy season
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