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O D O N T O G L O S S U M W/VTl'IANUM »v/,..
OnoNTOfil.OSSDJi WATTtAXUSt, Rolfc, pseu.lobulhis ubloiiKo-ov'oWcis com|iressi» tlii)liylli'
stcUatis magnis, scpulis la.iccobtis .-ictitis, pcialis conforniibiis brevioribui, lalìcllo 1111^1,1.- angusto siipn 1
brcvitcr et ¡ibnipte acuminata subiiitcgTn, calHs gcminis 5ul)pi,r;illclÌ! ciorniilfr (l,:iUnlÌ5 in disco, cnrin.ili
incdiuin vcreus .iugulala, filis oloiigiiCis aculis infra la.>vitc:r clonliculiila.
OliONTOCLOSSUH Wattianum, Rolfc, in Hard. Cliron., Mnrcli 22, iSgo, p- 354 ; Tlic Giirdun. i
nlis acuti*, [icdunculo piiuciflom. (loribin
in.-L- iidniito, lainin;i subpandurato-oblKngn,
iIii|U0t cxttorsis, columns clongAtn Irigoiin
Spccici
in Coli
— , , M. i y 3, 1 8 5 0 , p . 41(1.
ibilu Odontoglossi l.indlcyiini et 0. Harrj'iuii intermedi«. I-olla 4 — 8 polli«« longii. U.ii-cmiis
3 iMìliiccs diamclro, Sepala fl,iva roaculis m:ignis castiDcis. Velala Rava, maculo nwgno ca5lani:o in ni
moculo magno purpureo supra medio, maculis i>arvis plurimis in basi ; cilli atbi.
At that time I had only a single d
beautiful painting, here reproduecri,
seems rather doubtful. If
O. Lindlcyanuni, but on ti
I'crhaps in tlic future we n
hybrid belivccn O, l.iti<lleyanum
I an<l ink sketch, a couple ofold paciido-bulbs,
Ji'vc up the idea of its hybrid origin.
Icoiies analytica:. Colutnna et labcllura anticc el a latere vi«i.
A VERY great surprise awaited us when wc flowered tliis liandsomc species in tlie spring of 1889 in our estaiilishmcni.
A few plants had been sent home to us in 1888 hy one of otir collectors as Odontoglossura species from the United
States of Columbia. Odontoglossum Waltianuni is unlike any other Odontoglossum in its peculiar shape and colour,
and one of the finest of the genus. The sepals and petals are transver.'icly blotched with chocolate-crimson ; the sepals
broader than the petals, with a yellow-brown colour, the tips clear yellow ; ami the li|> is white, with a large wavy blotch
of bright claret. The base is blotched with a bltiish violet htie; it has a long, slender column and a very prominent
crest. There is a great doubt in our mind whether this Odoiitoglossum is a natural hybrid or a true species, but wc are
inclined to lean towards the latter theor)'.
The name has been given in honour of T. R. Watt, Esq., The I^riars, Chislehurst. It is a great thing now-a-tlays
to be able to introduce species of Odontoglossums absolutely new to science. Years ago, when the wilds of Columbia
were more untrotlden tliaii they are now, wc foi:nd less difficulty, but year by year such pi-izcs get rai-er. The time is
not far distant when home skill in hybridisation will have to supply novelties in Odontoglos.sums.
It is very rare in its native habitat, and a few plants only came home, and these were found at long distances
apart, growing in the forks of small oak trees, at a lower elevation than Odontoglossum crispum—hence we find the
requirements of the plants arc better met by growing it in the .same temperature as Odontoglossum I'halanopsis and
vcxillariura, Warscewiczi, &c. Since flowering our plants we have in vain tried to get a further supply, and it is very
probable thai no more will come to Eurojie.
Taken Troni .1 plant in the possession of T. 11. VVaU, li:scj.. The liriars, Cliislehursl.