Tolumnia variegata (Sw.) Braem 1986

Side View Of Flower Photo © by Milan Vagner

Inflorescence Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

Floral Close-up Photo courtesy of Dale Borders

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Common Name The Variegated Oncidium

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found on the island of Hispanola and Cuba as an equitant, creeping, epiphytic miniature found in dry scrub, woods or fence posts from sealevel to 700 meters with very short, erect stems enveloped by 4 to 10, imbricate, disitichous, fleshy to coriaceous, bilaterally flattened, channeled on the upper side, linear to elliptic-lanceolate, falcate, acute to acuminate, serrulate leaves that blooms on an erect, simple or branched, to 32" [to 80 cm] long, laxly few flowered inflorescence that has lanceolate, acute bracts and has new branches and flowers appearing after the first blooms all occuring in the spring, summer and fall with 1" flowers that are fragrant and long-lasting. I have the best luck mounting these miniature beauties to small branches, giving them medium light and plenty of air circulation.

Synonyms Cymbidium variegatum (Sw.) Sw. 1799; Epidendrum carinatum Vahl 1793; Epidendrum haseltonianum A.D.Hawkes 1957; *Epidendrum variegatum Sw. 1788; Oncidium caymanense Moir 1969; Oncidium × furcyense Moir 1969; Oncidium variegatum [Sw.]Willd. 1800; Oncidium variegatum f. furcyense (Moir) Withner 1980; Oncidium variegatum f. roseum (Moir & A.D.Hawkes) Withner 1980; Oncidium variegatum f. varvelum (Moir) Withner 1980; Oncidium variegatum var. purpureum Moir & A.D.Hawkes 1968; Oncidium variegatum var. roseum Moir & A.D.Hawkes 1968; Oncidium × varvelum Moir 1972; Tolumnia borinquensis Salueda & Ragan 1966

References W3 Tropicos Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchid Species Culture: Oncidium, Bakers 2006; Orchidaceae Antillaneae Nir 2000; The Orchids of Cuba Llamacho & Laramendi 2005

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