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Oncidium

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]

Oncidium
Oncidium altissimum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Cymbidieae
Subtribe: Oncidiinae
Genus: Oncidium
Sw.
Type species
Oncidium altissimum
(Jacq.) Sw.
Synonyms[1]
  • Anachaste Lindl.
  • Chamaeleorchis Senghas & Lückel
  • Cochlioda Lindl.
  • Collare-stuartense Senghas & Bockemühl
  • Heteranthocidium Szlach., Mytnik & Romowicz
  • Matalbatzia Archila, the word "Type" or equivalent not used.
  • Mexicoa Garay
  • Miltoniastrum (Rchb.f.) Lindl.
  • Miltonioides Brieger & Lückel
  • Odontoglossum Kunth
  • Petalocentrum Schltr.
  • Roezliella Schltr.
  • Sigmatostalix Rchb.f.
  • Solenidiopsis Senghas
  • Symphyglossum Schltr., nom. cons.
  • Xeilyathum Raf.

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]

Description

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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]

Taxonomy

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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]

Oncidium incurvum - another view
Florida orchid (Oncidium ensatum)
Oncidium sphacelatum

Selected species

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

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

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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]

Nothogenera involving Oncidium[14]
NothogenusParents
× AdacidiumAda × Oncidium
× AdoncosteleAda × Oncidium × Rhynchostele
× AlicearaBrassia × Miltonia × Oncidium
× ArthuraraBrassia × Miltonia × Oncidium × Rhynchostele
× AspacidopsisAspasia × Miltoniopsis × Oncidium
× AspacidosteleAspasia × Oncidium × Rhynchostele
× AspasiumAspasia × Oncidium
× BrapacidiumAspasia × Brassia × Oncidium
× BrascidosteleBrassia × Oncidium × Rhynchostele
× BrassidiocentrumBrassia × Oncidium × Trichocentrum
× BrassidiumBrassia × Oncidium
× BrassidomesaBrassia × Gomesa × Oncidium
× BrassoncidopsisBrassia × Miltoniopsis × Oncidium
× CrawshayaraAspasia × Brassia × Miltonia × Oncidium
× CuitlacidiumCuitlauzina × Oncidium
× CyrtocidisteleCyrtochilum × Oncidium × Rhynchostele
× CyrtocidiumCyrtochilum × Oncidium
× CyrtoncidopsisCyrtochilum × Miltoniopsis × Oncidium
× DunningaraAspasia × Miltonia × Oncidium
× GomiltidiumGomesa × Miltonia × Oncidium
× GomonciadaAda × Gomesa × Oncidium
× GomoncidochilumCyrtochilum × Gomesa × Oncidium
× HowearaLeochilus × Oncidium × Rodriguezia
× LockcidiumLockhartia × Oncidium
× MilenkocidiumMiltonia × Oncidium × Zelenkoa
× MilmilcidiumMiltonia × Miltoniopsis × Oncidium
× MilonzinaCuitlauzina × Miltonia × Oncidium
× MiltadiumAda × Miltonia × Oncidium
× MiltoncentrumMiltonia × Oncidium × Trichocentrum
× MiltoncidosteleMiltonia × Oncidium × Rhynchostele
× MiltonidiumMiltonia × Oncidium
× OncidesaGomesa × Oncidium
× OncidettiaComparettia × Oncidium
× OncidopsisMiltoniopsis × Oncidium
× OncidpiliaOncidium × Trichopilia
× OncidumniaOncidium × Tolumnia
× OncosteleOncidium × Rhynchostele
× OncostelopsisMiltoniopsis × Oncidium × Rhynchostele
× OtorhynchocidiumOncidium × Otoglossum × Rhynchostele
× PettitaraAda × Brassia × Oncidium
× PsychocidiumOncidium × Psychopsis
× ReichearaAspasia × Miltonia × Miltoniopsis × Oncidium
× RodricidiumOncidium × Rodriguezia
× ScelodiumOncidium × Scelochilus
× SchunkearaBrassia × Miltonia × Miltoniopsis × Oncidium
× TrichocidiumOncidium × Trichocentrum
× WarnearaComparettia × Oncidium × Rodriguezia
× ZelencidiosteleOncidium × Rhynchostele × Zelenkoa
× ZelencidopsisMiltoniopsis × Oncidium × Zelenkoa
× ZelenkocidiumOncidium × Zelenkoa

Former nothogenera

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Some nothogenera have been named based on hybrids involving Cochlioda or Odontoglossum, both accepted as synonyms of Oncidium as of April 2026,[1] so that hybrids formerly placed in these nothogenera now fall within Oncidium. Such nothogenera include:[14]

  • × Odontioda for Cochlioda × Odontoglossum hybrids
  • × Odontocidium for Odontoglossum × Oncidium hybrids
  • × Wilsonara for Cochlioda × Odontoglossum × Oncidium hybrids

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Oncidium Sw." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  2. ↑ Flora of North America, v 26 p 648, Oncidium ensatum
  3. ↑ "Oncidium". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  4. ↑ NRCS. "Oncidium". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 Chase, Mark W.; Williams, Norris H.; Faria, De; Donisete, Aparacida; Neubig, Kurt M.; Amaral, Maria do Carmo E.; Whitten, W. Mark (1 August 2009). "Floral convergence in Oncidiinae (Cymbidieae; Orchidaceae): an expanded concept of Gomesa and a new genus Nohawilliamsia". Annals of Botany. 104 (3): 387–402. doi:10.1093/aob/mcp067. PMC 2720657. PMID 19346522 – via aob.oxfordjournals.org.
  6. 1 2 Lindleyana : The scientific journal of the American Orchid Society. December 2008 Pg 20
  7. ↑ "Kew News - Orchid community agree name changes in Oncidium". Archived from the original on 2013-06-24.
  8. ↑ Alec M. Pridgeon; Phillip Cribb; Mark W. Chase; Finn N. Rasmussen (eds.). "Genera Orchidacearum Volume 5 Epidendroideae (Part II)".
  9. 1 2 3 "Oncidium". Flora of North America. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Oncidium". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Oncidium". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  12. ↑ Swartz, Olof (1800). "Oncidium". Kungl. Svenska vetenskapsakademiens handlingar. 21: 239–240. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  13. ↑ "Baptistonia Barb.Rodr." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  14. 1 2 "Alphabetical One-Table List of Genera and Intergeneric Hybrids" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
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