The Bent Oncidium is native to Para, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Bahia, Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janiero, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. In Brazil, they meet from Pernambuco and Bahia in the north after Santa Catarina in the south. They grow both in the area of coastal mountains and along streams and swamps inland. They were encountered at a height of 500-800 m near the backwaters along the Paraiba River in the states of São Paulo, Río de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. They were also encountered in the state of Mínas Gerais and further to the north in the state of Pará.
Oncidium flexuosum orchid, also called as The Bent Oncidium, is a species of the genus Oncidium. This species was first described by C.Loddiges in 1820. Several synonyms are know for this species such as: "Ampliglossum flexuosum (Lodd.) Campacci 2006"; "Coppensia flexuosa (Lodd.) Campacci 2006"; "Epidendrum lineatum Vell. 1831"; "Gomesa flexuosa (Lodd.) M.W.Chase & N.H.Williams 2009"; "Gomesa megaloptera (Kraenzl.) M.W.Chase & N.H.Williams 2009"; "Oncidium flexuosum Sims 1821"; "Oncidium flexuosum var. radiatum Rchb.f. 1872"; "Oncidium haematochrysum Rchb.f 1849"; "Oncidium haematoxanthum Rchb. f. ex Lindl. 1855"; "Oncidium megalopterum Kraenzl. 1922".
IDENTIFY ONCIDIUM FLEXUOSUM ORCHID
The Bent Oncidium is native to Para, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Bahia, Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janiero, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. In Brazil, they meet from Pernambuco and Bahia in the north after Santa Catarina in the south. They grow both in the area of coastal mountains and along streams and swamps inland. They were encountered at a height of 500-800 m near the backwaters along the Paraiba River in the states of São Paulo, Río de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. They were also encountered in the state of Mínas Gerais and further to the north in the state of Pará.
This species is a small to medium sized, cool to hot growing, epiphytic orchid that reaching 13-30 cm. These plants grow by climbing, and has narrowly ovoid or ovate-elliptic, compressed, ancipitous pseudobulbs (3.8-7.5 cm tall) carrying 2 apical, spreading, slightly coriaceous, narrowly oblong-ligulate, obtuse or abruptly acute leaves. A large number of thin roots grow from the rhizome and from the base. The leaves are 10-23 cm long, ribbon, shiny, pointed.
The plant blooms in the fall and winter on an erect to arcuate, to 5' (150 cm) long overall, stout, slightly compressed, dull purple, paniculate with 4 to 10, divaricate, to 12" (30 cm) long, ascending, zig-zag branches with to 10 flowers each, each branch can rebranch with up to 7 secondary branches, many flowered inflorescence with narrowly triangular, green with patches of brown and minute purple brown spots, very short, acute floral bracts and carrying many small flowers.
A single flower is 2.0-2.5 cm long. The flakes of both whorls are bright gold-yellow and usually have a red-brown spot at the base of each flake. The large lip is yellow and has a red-brown color around the protuberance. The small petals of both whorls are almost the same size, 0.4 cm long and 0.3 cm wide. The dented dorsal flap is oblong to the oval, the lateral outer petals are connected together at about half their length, and the longitudinal petals of the inner whorl are undulated and often bent. The relatively large, broadly spread lip is 1.2-1.5 cm long and has small, ear-like lateral plots at the base. A very wide, skirt-like central plot has undulating edges, a split top, a narrow isthmus that separates side plots from the middle plot, a 2-part bead with a wavy part at the base, and one in the front having 3-5 appendages. The very short rod is just 0.25 cm long and is almost as wide as the long one.
GROW AND CARE ONCIDIUM FLEXUOSUM ORCHID
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
This kind of orchids loves a bright sun without access to direct sunlight, so during the midday solstice Oncidium flexuosum must be placed behind the curtain or into the shade of other plants. Otherwise, the orchid can get sunburn. 18000-25000 lux and continuous strong air movement is recommended.
Temperature:
This type of orchid refers to a moderate temperature regime: Summer: 18-28 ° C; Winter: 14-18 ° C. To successfully grow Oncidium flexuosum orchid at home, the night-time temperature of the content should always be 4 ° C lower than the daytime temperature. For example, if the day is 24 ° C, then at night no more than 20 ° C.
Humidity:
For normal growth and development the plant will be 50-80% enough. Too dry air negatively affects the growth of roots and leaves. In order to increase the humidity of the air, you can use a humidifier, saucers with water or wet clay. To do this, take a large tray inside which is poured with expanded clay, put on top the moisture protection grilles and pots with orchids.
Substrate and growing medium:
In view of the fact that Oncidium flexuosum has a "creeping" type of growth, it is grown mostly without a substrate, placed on blocks, however, planting in pots is not excluded. Any very loose and airy substrate, or cultivation on rootstocks, as long as high humidity is ensured, therefore in its quality the mixture of the bark of coniferous trees with a large fraction of foam is best.
Watering:
During the period of new growth, Oncidium flexuosum needs frequent and abundant watering. Excess water during watering should flow freely out of the pot, as the stagnation of water both inside the pot and in its pan can very quickly lead to decay of the roots and the lower part of the plant. To water this kind of orchids is best with the help of a hot shower. It mimics the natural conditions in the home of the orchid and has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of the plant. The water temperature should be 30-45 ° C. The substrate between watering should dry well. If Oncidium flexuosum is grown on blocks, then in the hot summer period the orchid is watered once in 2-3 days, and in winter once a week. In winter, plants should be limited to water, but can not stay dry for too long.
Fertilizer:
During the new growth period, weekly 1 / 4-1 / 2 doses of fertilizer for orchids should be used, Oncidium flexuosum is fertilized for every third watering in the usual fertilizer concentration indicated on the package. Fertilizer must be used specialized with a mark on the package "For Orchids", since conventional fertilizers for houseplants contain a somewhat different composition of nutrients and their dosage is much higher than that required by Oncidium flexuosum.
Rest period and repotting:
To stimulate flowering, Oncidium flexuosum needs a clearly defined period of rest. It begins immediately after the maturation of new bulbs, i.e. when new young shoots reach the size of the old, and is that the orchid contains much drier than usual, and does not fertilize. From watering, you should either refuse completely, or replace it with an easy spraying of the substrate and perform this procedure no more than once a month. After the appearance of peduncles, the rest period ends and the watering of the orchid resumes in the usual volume. Non-observance of the rest period leads to a colorless orchid.
After flowering, the flower stem Oncidium flexuosum is removed, if necessary, the orchid is repotted and kept dry for some time. This is necessary to acclimatize the plant and to prevent rotting of the roots from the repot.
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