Oncidium stelligerum Rchb. f. 1873 SECTION Stellata

Photo courtesy of Weyman Bussey

Common Name The Star-Carrying Oncidium

Flower Size 2" [5 cm]

Found in Guerrero, Jalisco and Michoacan states in Mexico and northern Guatemala at elevations of 1400 to 1900 meters as a medium sized, cool growing epiphyte with a ovoid-ellipsoid, compressed psuedobulbs partially enveloped basally by several, distichous, imbricating, leaf-bearing sheaths and carrying 2 apical, elliptic-oblong, subacute, coriaceous, slightly conduplicate towards the base leaves that blooms in the winter on an axillary, erect to arching, 34" to 80" [80 to 200 cm] long, several branched panicle with large, showy, stellate flowers.

Often cited as a synonym of O hastatum but I can see several differences, I await further references to combine them.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora Novo-Galaciana Vol 16 McVaugh 1985; An Introdution to the Orchids of Mexico Wiard 1987 as O stelliferum var ernestii photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 33 - 36 2057 - 2308 Brieger 1997; Orchid Species Culture: Oncidium, Bakers 2006; The Pictoral Encyclopedia of Oncidium Zelenko 2002; Oncidium Vol 2 Koniger 2005 as O hastatum

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