Oncidium unguiculatum Lindl. 1846 SECTION Stellata

Photo courtesy of Jean Claude George

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Common Name The Clawed Oncidium

Flower Size 2 1/2"

Found in Guerrero, Mexico and Morelos states of Mexico at elevations of 1800 to 2600 meters as a cool to cold growing epiphyte with ovate, laterally compressed, ancipitous pseudobulbs partially enveloped below by 1 ro 2 opposite pairs of leafless bracts and carrying 3 apical, lanceolate, acute, gradually narrowing below into the conduplicate base leaves taht blooms on an erect, straight, the peduncle as long as the rachis, paniculate, 4 to 6 branched, each ascending, many flowered inflorescence with each branch carrying 4 to 7, scentless, successive flowers.

Can be distinguished from O tigrinum by the scentless flowers the longer midlobe of the lip, the narrower and longer isthmus of the lip and an essentially straight lip, a broad callus with a slightly raised apex and the darker markings of the sepals and petals. O unguiculatum differs in it's basal only branches of the inflorecence while O tigrinum has sparse apical branches. Otherwise they are very similar species but in a range much farther to the east.

Synonyms Odontoglossum ghiesbreghtianum A.Rich. 1845; Oncidium tigrinum var. unguiculatum (Lindl.) Lindl. 1855

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Das Pflanzanreich Regni Vegetabilis Conspectus Odontoglossum/Oncidium Kranzlin 1922 as Oncidium tigrinum var unguiculatum; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 as Oncidium tigrinum var unguiculatum; Flora Novo-Galaciana Vol 16 McVaugh 1985; AOS Bulletin Vol 61 No 5/456 1992 photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 33 - 36 2057 - 2308 Brieger 1997 photo fide; Orquideas del Estado de Morelos ORQUÍDEA (MÉX.) VOLUMEN 16 NÚMERO ÚNICO enero 2002 drawing/photo fide; Oncidum Vol 3 Koniger photo/drawing fide; Algunas Orquideas de Mexico Tomo 1 Suarez 2013 photo fide

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