Caucaea olivaceum (Kunth) N.H. Williams & M.W. Chase 2001 Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler

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Common Name The Olive-Green Oncidium

Flower Size 1.5" [3.75 cm]

Found in Colombia and Ecuador at elevations of 2300 to 3960 meters as a miniature to small sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte on rotting tree trunks with clustered, egg-shaped laterally compressed, dull green pseudobulbs with longitudinal ridges on the sides and carrying 1 to 2, apical, linear to strap shaped, leathery, acute leaves that are longitudinally folded which blooms most all year on a basal, slender, erect to nodding, racemose to paniculate inflorescence carrying the 8 to 12 showy, long-lasting, color variable flowers. Cited as synonomous with C rhodistica but there are obvious floral differences.

Synonyms Oncidium cucullatum subvar. olivaceum (Kunth) H.J. Veitch 1892; Oncidium cucullatum var. giganteum hort. 1882; Oncidium cucullatum var. oliveaceum [HBK] Gower Oncidium olivaceum Kunth 1816; Oncidium olivaceum var. giganteum (hort.) Stacey 1975

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Das Pflanzenreich; Orchidaceae-Monandre, Tribus Oncidinae-Odontoglosseae Pars II Kranzl. [1922] 1957 as Oncidium olivaceum; Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb & Laurent 1982 as as Oncidium olivaceum; Orchid Species Culture Oncidium/Odontoglossum Bakers 2006 as as Oncidium olivaceum; Native Ecuadorian Orchids Vol 4 Dodson 2003 as Oncidium olivaceum; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 3 COS 1991 as Oncidium olivaceum;

Caucaea olivaceum (Kunth) N.H. Williams & M.W. Chase 2001 var album Photo by © Jay Pfahl

A white colored clone of the previous species. Plant grown by Arturo Carillo.