~Odontoglossum rigidum Lindley 1844 - See Cyrtochilum aureum (Lindl.) Senghas 1997 Photo courtesy of of Carlos Hajek and his Peruvian Orchid Page

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Common Name The Rigid Odontoglossum

Flower Size 3/4" [2 cm]

A high Andean, small sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte or terrestrial on steep embankments of altitudes of 2500-4000 meters that is found in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia with ovate or pyriform pseudobulbs carrying a single apical, erect, linear-ligulate, acute, carinate leaf and blooms at most any time of the year on a paniculate, 8" [20 cm] long, loosely branched towards the apex inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb. This species is related to Odon. aureum but differs in the lack of a callus a the apex of the claw and the darker yellow orange color of the flower.

This species is most likely a synonym of Cyrtochilum aureum but I will keep it separate for now.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae Vol 3 Reichenbach 1878; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum plate 965 Dodson 1984; Orchid Species Culture: Oncidium, Bakers 2006 as Cyrtochilum aureum

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