[Illustration: PL. 66. ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISTATELLUM.]
ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISTATELLUM. [Plate 66.] _Native of the United States of Columbia._
Epiphytal. _Pseudobulbs_ ovate, one and a half to two inches long, pale green. _Leaves_ one or two from each pseudobulb, ligulate-oblong, acute, narrowed to the base, keeled. _Peduncles_ radical, terminating in a showy raceme of flowers, and furnished below with lanceolate pale brown bracts, smaller triangular bracts being produced at the base of the pedicels. _Flowers_ two and a half inches across, attractive in colour and marking; _sepals_ and _petals_ subhastate, broadish oblong-ovate above, acuminate, yellow, with a few large rich chestnut-brown blotches; _lip_ short, narrow, the blade oblong-panduriform, apiculate, the margin much undulated and minutely denticulate, yellow at the base and chestnut-brown in front, bearing at the base of the disk subulate radiate calli, consisting of about six teeth on each side, and in front of these two rhomboid serrated lamellæ, all these parts yellowish, streaked (and the keels bordered) with chestnut-red. _Column_ trigonous, arcuate, with violet spots in front of its base, and chestnut-red wings.
Odontoglossum cristatellum, _Reichenbach fil._, in _Gardeners' Chronicle_, N.S., x., 716; _Id._ xvii., 143.
Odontoglossum Lehmanni, _F. C. Lehmann in litteris_--fide Reichenbach.
The _Odontoglossum cristatellum_ is described by Prof. Reichenbach as a near relative of _O. cristatum_. It is, without doubt, a very rare plant, one that has flowered in but few collections, and is supposed to be a natural hybrid. It is not perhaps so showy as some other Odontoglots, but still it is one that is quite worth cultivating. Our sketch was taken from a well-grown plant in the collection of O. Schneider, Esq., Cromwell Range, Fallowfield, Manchester. This gentleman, who has an excellent collection of Orchids, has houses set apart for the various kinds, and we may say that our visit there gave us very great satisfaction, as we there saw many well-grown plants of species that are usually found difficult to cultivate.
_Odontoglossum cristatellum_ is a compact evergreen plant, growing from ten inches to a foot in height. It is furnished with light green foliage and produces its flower-spikes at different periods of the year, according to the time of the completion of its growth; moreover, it lasts for several weeks in bloom. The plant requires to be grown in the cool Odontoglossum house, with the same treatment as _O. Alexandræ_, as regards soil, water, and temperature, fire-heat being always avoided if possible in summer. The less fire-heat the plants receive the more successful will be their growth, though, of course, in cold weather, some little fire will be required to keep the house up to the correct temperature, at the same time giving a little air, but avoiding cold draughts.