SITF Blog

Acianthera-cachensis-2023-08-22 *SITF has determined this plant to be Acianthera lepidota, not Acianthera cachensis (Nov 2023).
Identification was made with the assistance of Dr. Adam Karremans, the taxonomist of record for A. cachensis and a noted authority on Costa Rican Pleurothallids. Acianthera lepidota is from Costa Rica and Panama and is closely related to A. cachensis. Descriptions of these two species with photos are in Adam Karremans 2020 book "Pleurothallids Neotropical Jewels, Vol. 1". The purple veined leaves of A. lepidota and the flower form is a better match to this plant than is A. cachensis. A drawing and photo can also be found in the IOSPE, as Pleurothallis lepidota (a synonym).

Posted on Aug 22, 2023

The plant was identified by Franco Pupulin and is endemic to Costa Rica.

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Brassavola-cucullatta-2023-08-22 *SITF confirms that this plant is Brassavola cucullata (Aug 2023).
The main points in considering the differences between Brassavola cucullata and Brassavola appendiculata are that B. appendiculata is only found in Central America from Mexico to Nicaragua and not in the Caribbean. B. cucullata is found in South America from Colombia to Venezuela and in the Caribbean. Brassavola cucullata has eight pollinia and B. appendiculata has twelve pollinia. This plant was collected in the Caribbean (Trinidad) and has eight pollinia. It is a good example of a true B. cucullata.

Posted on Aug 22, 2023

Description is as follows: "Three ribbony flowers and five buds on four up to 3.5-cm inflorescences; sepals and petals long, ribbon-like, sharply acuminate, ivory, midrib very pale olive-green, faint...

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Paphiopedilum-leucochilum-2023-08-20 *Determined by SITF not to be Paphiopedilum leucochilum, but an unknown hybrid (Aug 2023).
Excess spotting on the lip and the pouch shape would indicate this plant is not P. leucochilum. The more or less pointed pouch would indicate probably P. bellatulum or P. concolor in the background and the staminode form would also indicate probably P. concolor. This plant likely has P. leucochilum, P. godefroyae, and maybe P. concolor or P. bellatulum in the background.

Posted on Aug 20, 2023

As stated in the final line of the description, multiple judges questioned the identity of the species.

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Cattleya-cardimii-2023-08-20 *SITF has determined this plant to be Cattleya bradei, not Cattleya cardimii (Aug 2023).
Withner describes C. cardimii with a photo (as Laelia cardimii) in his series "The Cattleyas and their Relatives Vol. 2-The Laelias". It carries three pale yellow flowers on a relatively tall, thin inflorescence with nearly 12 cm to the first flower. Cattleya bradei carries two to four flowers on much shorter inflorescences than C. cardimii on smaller plants like the plant in this submission. This is an excellent match to photos in the IOSPE, OW, orchidroots and the Withner book.

Posted on Aug 20, 2023

Description is as follows: "Three flowers and three buds on two 3-cm inflorescences emerging from the apex of 2-cm pseudobulbs, ovoid, erect, rigid; leaf fusiform, succulent, coriaceous; sepals and p...

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Vanda-liouvillei-2023-08-20 *SITF confirms this that this plant is Vanda liouvillei (Aug 2023).
This species is very unique with a distinct midlobe shape that when viewed from the front, looks like a snake's tongue and it has a very long nectary. These key characteristics are unmatched in the Genus. Orchidroots.com has 23 images all closely matching this plant. The 2021 book by Motes, "The Natural Genus Vanda" describes V. liouvillei and its confusion with V. brunnea; this plant exactly matches Motes description of V. liouvillei.

Posted on Aug 20, 2023

Description is as follows: "Six flowers and four buds on one 25-cm inflorescence; sepals and petals lanceolate, chartreuse, overlaid mahogany, tessellated, margins undulated; lip forked, chartreuse, ...

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Myc-thompsoniana-2023-08-16 *SITF confirms this plant is Myrmecophila (Mcp.) thomsoniana (Sep 2023).
The longest inflorescence measured 137 cm that would infer the plant growths were about 10 cm or less and the leaves to be about the same as the growths. These measurements would fit Mcp. thomsoniana. There is a previous AOS award to Mcp thomsoniana 'Hamlyn' HCC that is close to this in color and form. There are also two cultivars in the orchidroots.com that match this plant in color, lip markings and form.

Posted on Aug 16, 2023

Commended for striking color contrast.

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Gomesa-varicosa-2023-08-14 *SITF has determined this plant to be Gomesa insignis, not Gomesa varicosa (Sep 2023).
The flowers of G. varicosa are much smaller than G. insignis, usually on the order of 3.8 cm natural spread; G. insignis flowers are at least 6.0 cm and larger. Flowers on this plant are 7 cm. The brown coloration in G. varicosa is a red-brown, not nearly black looking as is G. insignis. The lip crest is more diffuse and the lip does not form a "shelf" relative to the rest of the flower. Per Eric Christenson: "...the callus of G. insignis consists of three low parallel basal ridges terminating in a single, very large, bilaterally compressed, rhomboid tooth without any ancilliary knobs. The flower is also inflexed at a 90 degree angle relative to the base of the lip forming a shelf-like platform and the lateral sepals are solid brown of the same color as the deep red-brown irregular blotch surrounding the crest. They are almost always found in conjunction with O. (Gomesa) varicosum often on the same tree."

Posted on Aug 14, 2023

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Prosthechea-campos-portoi-Irene CBR-2023-08-13 * SITF has determined this plant to be Prosthechea kautskyi, not campos-portoi (Aug 2023).
Based on the description in Harding and Withner, 2004, "The Cattleyas and their Relatives-The Debatable Epidendrums", P. campos-portoi (as Anacheilium campos-portoi) is a unifoliate and P. kautskyi (as Anacheilium kautskyi) is bifoliate. This plant, as shown in the photos, is definitely bifoliate and according to the description is not P. campos-portoi, but is P. kautskyi. The number of basal maroon stripes in the lip also match P. kautskyi better than P. campos-portoi. Flower size is large for P. kautskyi.

Posted on Aug 13, 2023

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