We now present to our subscribers the figure of a most beautiful Orchid which belongs to an extensive genus, the species of which vary much in their growth, bulbs, foliage, and flowers, the latter including almost every gradation of size and many shades of colour. The Oncidiums are among the most useful of plants for decorative purposes, as every one must know who grows Orchids. Oncidium Lanceanum is quite distinct as a species from any others with which we are acquainted and is remarkable for having a rich rosy violet lip; the typical form we hope to be able to figure at some future time. The variety Louvrexianum, as will be seen from the annexed illustration, differs from the type in having the lip white. Our plate was prepared from an excellent drawing of a plant which flowered in the fine collection of orchids belonging to Mons. D. Massange de Louvrex, of Marche, in Belgium—one of the best collections in that country, and one also in which the plants are well cultivated, and many unique specimens are to be seen.
Oncidium Lanceanum Louvrexianum is an evergreen plant like the type. It grows to a foot or more in height, and has light green foliage which is spotted all over with a darker green and purple. The flowers are produced on an upright scape a foot or more in length, which springs directly from the rhizome at the base of the leaf. The sepals and petals are greenish yellow blotched with brownish crimson, and the lip being white forms a pleasing contrast with the brown-crimson of the sepals and petals. It blooms during the summer months, and lasts several weeks in beauty.
We bloomed this variety many years ago, but it is still a rare plant; indeed we now very seldom see Oncidium Lanceanum itself well grown, for it is found difficult to cultivate by our present Orchid growers. Many years ago one frequently met with fine specimens of it exhibited at our London shows, and others were to be met with in collections in different parts of the country. We still hope to see it again taken in hand by Orchid cultivators, for it is beautiful both in foliage and in flower and altogether makes a distinct and handsome specimen. The manner in which these plants fail—and it is one which is very annoying—is that the leaves go spotted, a condition which is not only detrimental to their well-being, but renders them unsightly, and thus cultivators get tired of their plants and discard them, while others, who keep the foliage good from year to year, are proud of their success. We believe the spotting to be caused by giving the plants too much heat and not sufficient air, when, if the foliage is also kept too moist, it will spot; the leaves, it will be noted, are of a thick fleshy texture, and when once they get spotted it is very difficult to restore them to health. If a suitable place can be found for it, and one in which it succeeds well, by all means let it be kept there. We have found these plants do well grown in baskets, with good drainage, so that the roots can be benefited by being suspended in the atmosphere of the house—in fact they do not like their roots to be too much covered over, but they should have a little live sphagnum moss or very good fibrous peat. This compost should never be allowed to get into a wet or soddened condition; but if this should occur clear all the old material away, and employ fresh, putting some good lumps of charcoal, more of this than of moss or peat.
The plants may also be successfully grown on blocks of wood and suspended from the roof. We have found them succeed in an intermediate temperature ranging about 60° by night in winter, and a trifle more—about 65°—by day; in summer the heat may range to little higher, but not very much. With the heat give all the light possible, avoiding exposure to sunshine, as this will scorch the fleshy leaves, to prevent which we find it quite advisable to shade during the sunny part of the day.
See further observations relating to Oncidium Lanceanum under [Plate 130].
PL. 130. THUNIA MARSHALLIANA.
THUNIA MARSHALLIANA.
[[Plate 130].]
Native of Moulmein.
Terrestrial. Stems reed-like, erect, glabrous, cylindrical, about two and a half feet high, becoming smaller upwards, swelling into roundish tuberous knobs beneath the soil, clothed above with distichous leaves, and terminating in a dense raceme of flowers. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, semi-amplectant, about six inches long, five to seven nerved, of a pale green colour, glaucous beneath. Racemes terminal, nodding, dense, and many-flowered, the bracts large ovate-lanceolate, acute, concave, shorter than the ovaries, pale yellowish green. Flowers large and delicately beautiful, white with orange-red veins; sepals and petals lanceolate-oblong acute, spreading, nearly equal, about two and a half inches long, pure white; lip white, with the lower part convolute around the column, produced behind into a retuse falcate spur and having in the centre five veins or ribs, fringed at the edge; the front part or limb flattened out, roundish, yellow with numerous forking veins of a deep orange-red colour, occupying the whole area, the disk traversed by five yellow raised veins, and about five shorter ones on each side, all pectinately fringed with crystalline hairs, the margin toothed and beautifully crisped, the extreme edge being white. Column enclosed by the lateral lobes of the lip (which are yellowish striated with red near the front) terete below, widened above, with two prominent toothed wings near the tip forming a kind of hood.
Thunia Marshalliana, Reichenbach fil., Linnæa xli., 65; Regel, Gartenflora, t. 1098.