Unknown oncidium - Orchid Board

Selmo · #1 01-01-2017, 02:07 PM

Any one know what oncidium this could be? It came with a tag that was unreadable, could make out onc. B........tom, but that could be debatable. It is a small plant, maybe 4" tall. Pseudobulb maybe 1" and leaves 3". The flower spike is roughly 24" tall, sparsely flowered, with short branches with a few flowers on each. It blooms every year and stays in bloom for 6 or so weeks. We grow it in medium shade, keep it moist, and intermediate temps. Could not find it in IOSPE under onc. B's, so I am thinking maybe hybrid or mislabeled. Any ideas? Thanks

WhiteRabbit · #2 01-01-2017, 08:54 PM

Oncidium sphacelatum ?

Orchid Whisperer · #3 01-02-2017, 01:35 AM

Don't think it's sphacelatum. That is a big plant, Selmo has described a small plant.

Can you scan and post an image of the plant tag?

Roberta · #4 01-02-2017, 01:36 AM

Doing a "partial string" search, there does exist Oncidium Britomartis that might be a match, but I could find no picture of that plant. If it is blooming on such a small plant, not likely Onc. sphacelatum, which tends to be a beast before it even thinks of blooming (and then it is much more floriferous). Description of the plant sounds a lot like Onc. Gower Ramsey but that doesn't fit the visible letters on the tag.

Dollythehun · #5 01-02-2017, 07:23 AM

Guessing: "Sugar Babies?"

Selmo · #6 01-02-2017, 12:26 PM

Thanks for replies, I'm trying to find original tag, not having much luck. It is not Gower Ramsey, we have one and it is a much bigger plant with taller spikes. Gower Ramsey reminds us of dancing Dutch girls in yellow dresses. This little guy/gal is a small plant. It is probably 10 years old and still grows in a 4" pot. The flower spike is only 24" tall and the flowers are maybe 1/2". Here is a picture from yesterday. It has been blooming since Thanksgiving. It had a few more flowers, some of it flowers have faded away. Hope this helps, thanks again.

Selmo · #7 01-02-2017, 12:38 PM

I guess it has been blooming since about Halloween. Found pictures of grandkids in their costumes along with it. Here is a picture from then. A few more flowers, but not many. Agian, thanks for the replies.

PaphMadMan · #8 01-02-2017, 01:50 PM

I'd go with Oncidium barbatum (Gomesa barbata). The IOSPE photo doesn't look very similar, but do a web image search and I think you'll find some good matches. It seems to be a match for size as well.

Mztrjoe · #9 01-05-2017, 01:54 PM

You might want to look at Oncidium stenotis. Onc. oliganthum is small but usually opens only a few flowers at a time.

Selmo · #10 01-06-2017, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

I'd go with Oncidium barbatum (Gomesa barbata). The IOSPE photo doesn't look very similar, but do a web image search and II think you'll find some good matches. It seems to be a match for size as well.

Thanks PaphMadMan, the pictures are a little closer on the web. But they keep saying blooms in spring with 1-1.5" flowers. Ours seems to bloom (it has bloomed over the last 6-7 years) in the fall, but has bloomed as early as July before, is that spring in the Southern Hemisphere? And has never had flowers bigger than 3/4". Other than that, Onc. barbatum seems to be a good fit, miniture plant, ovate-oblong, slightly ridged pseudobulbs, with single, apical, linear-lanceolate leaf and 20-24" inflorescence. Maybe IOSPE is off on the bloom time and need better more accurate photos (noticed the photo used was also used for onc. suscephalum). Or maybe we are off and it is some other poorly photographed (not that my photos are great), not much information on, oncidium. Thanks again all, for the replies