Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

Oncidium

Genus of orchids From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oncidium
Remove ads

Oncidium is a genus of about 370 species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It is distributed across tropical and subtropical America from Mexico, Central America and the West Indies to northern Argentina, with one species (O. ensatum) extending into Florida.[2][3] Common names for plants in this genus include dancing-lady orchid.[4]

Quick facts Scientific classification, Type species ...

A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2009 labeled the Oncidium alliance "grossly polyphyletic."[5] In the same year, the American Orchid Society labeled the genus a "dumping ground".[6] A consensus announced in April 2013 resulted in major taxonomic changes to Oncidium, Gomesa, Odontoglossum, Miltonia, and others.[7] Much of this debate and subsequent housekeeping was initiated by significant research for the scientific publication Genera Orchidacearum Volume 5.[8] One significant change is the move of most Brazilian Oncidium with a fused lateral sepal to the genus Gomesa.[6][5]

Remove ads

Description

Orchids in the genus Oncidium are tufted, epiphytic, lithophytic or terrestrial herbs with clustered pseudobulbs each with up to four blunt-tipped, strap-like leaves.[9][10] The inflorescences are borne in panicles, usually appear from the axils of recently matured growth and flower only once from the pseudobulb. The flowers are resupinate, the sepals and petals free from each other, egg-shaped to nearly circular, with a fiddle-shaped lip with a prominent warty fringe. The fruit is a capsule.[9][10]

Remove ads

Taxonomy

The genus Oncidium was first described in 1800 by Olof Swartz in Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar (Proceedings of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences)[11][12] The genus name Oncidium is derived from the Greek word ὀγκος, onkos, meaning 'swelling' and the diminutive -idium in reference to the prominent lip callus.[9]

Thumb
Oncidium incurvum - another view
Thumb
Florida orchid (Oncidium ensatum)
Thumb
Oncidium sphacelatum
Remove ads

Selected species

Summarize
Perspective

Selected species accepted by Plants of the World Online as of December 2023:

Thumb
Floral Morphology of an Oncidium Orchid This composite image presents a detailed botanical illustration of the floral anatomy of a typical Oncidium orchid, commonly known as dancing-lady orchid.

Nothogenera

Summarize
Perspective

Many hybrids have been created artificially involving species of Oncidium, often with species of other genera. Named hybrid genera (nothogenera) are listed in the table below, together with their parent genera. As of December 2023, Cochlioda and Odontoglossum are included within Oncidium.[1] and Baptistonia within Gomesa,[13]

More information Nothogenus, Parents ...
Remove ads

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads