Oncidium isthmi Schltr. 1922 SECTION Oblongata Photos courtesy of © Lourens Grobler

Inflorescence Photo courtesy of Daniel Jimenez

FAINT to

Common Name The Narrow Oncidium [refers to the narrow mid lip]

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Panama and Costa Rica in lowland tropical rainforests at elevations of sealevel to 1500 meters, as a medium size, hot to cool growing epiphyte with clusters of compressed, ridged, oblong-ovoid pseudobulbs subtended by foliaceous bracts . The 2, long, acute, elliptic-lanceolate leaves are carried at the top of the pseudobulb. The erect to arching, 4' [120 cm] long, branching panicle with to 20, short, spreading branches each carrying 3 to 7 flowers and arises from a mature pseudobulb that bears many, faintly scented, yellow flowers with brown markings. The orchid blooms in the fall on a long paniculate, many flowered inflorescence with scarious bracts, under cool to hot conditions as it is found at elevations of sea level to 1500 meters, needs year round watering, with a slight reduction in winter.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Repert. Sp. Nov. Regni. Veg. Beih. 17: 84. Panama Schlechter 1922; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 6 1958; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum plate 1469 Atwood 1992 drawing ok; Fieldiana Biology, Flora Costa Ricensis Family # 39 Orchidaceae, subtribes Maxillariinae and Oncidiinae Atwood & Mora 1997; Orchids of Venezuela [An illustrated field guide] Vol. 2 Ramiro and Carnevali 2000 drawing ok; Orquideologia Vol. 23 No 2 2004; Orchid Species Culture: Oncidium, Bakers 2006; Oncidium Vol 1 Koniger 2004;

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