SITF Blog

Epidendrum-hondurense-2023-06-29 *SITF confirms this plant as Epidendrum hondurense (Jul 2023).
This plant was identified to the exhibitor by Dr. Eric Hagsater, the authority in the Genus Epidendrum; Dr. Hagsater stated that this plant was definitely E. hondurense. The description and drawing for E. hondurense can be found in the ICONES Orchidacearum, Fascicle 11, The Genus Epidendrum, Part 7 by Hagsater, et. al. and ICONES Orchidacearum (16)1 (2018), Genus Epidendrum, Part 12. The inflorescences on this plant are simple racemes, not branched panicles; this characteristic along with the matching color and dimensions fits E. hondurense.

Posted on Jun 29, 2023

I have this plant for a very long time. My understanding is that it was legally collected in Central American in the late 1960's. Originally labeled as Epidendrum densiflorum, which it was obviously...

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Dendrobium-venustum-CCE/AOS-2023-06-28 *SITF has determined this plant to be Dendrobium delacourii, not Dendrobium venustum (Jul 2023).
The key difference between D. venustum and D. delacourii is the plant size. There are three species with very similar flowers; these are D. delacourii, D. simondii, and D. venustum. They differ in plant size where D. delacourii is the smallest, most compact plant of the three having canes less than 10cm and D. venustum the largest having canes up to 60 cm long. This compact plant is D. delacourii with pseudobulbs measuring only 2 to 5 cm long. Supporting photos can be found in the IOSPE, OW and orchidroots.com. This plant is an excellent match to the D. delacourii description in Baker and Baker's, "Orchid Species Culture: Dendrobium".

Posted on Jun 28, 2023

A flawlessly-grown eye-catching, compact display of 165 flowers and 166 buds on 31 inflorescences borne on approximately 100 pseudobulbs from 2 cm to 5 cm in length; 15-cm high by 39-cm wide beautiful...

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Epidendrum-piliferum-M-&-B-CHM-83-Pts-2023-06-25 *SITF confirms this plant is Epidendrim piliferum (Jul 2023).
This plant matches the form and color of the description and photo in the IOSPE; it is a good match to the drawing by Jimenez, Hagsater, & Santiago also in the IOSPE. This plant is small compared to the drawing, which shows canes over 80-cm tall. Dressler states this species can be up to 2 meters. The cane size of this plant was 41cm. Other images can be found in the OW, orchidroots.com and many other sites on the internet.

Posted on Jun 25, 2023

One hundred and seventy-two flowers on four upright terete green arching inflorescences, longest to 19cm; growths simple straight erect cane-like terete, largest 0.8cm in diameter by 41cm tall, carry...

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Maxillaria-funicaulis-Jasen-CBR/AOS-2023-06-22 *SITF has determined this plant to be Maxillaria xanthorhoda, not Maxillaria funicaulis (Oct 2023).
The growth habit of this plant matches the drawing and description of M. xanthorhoda. There is some disagreement in the literature concerning the leaf length of this species; however, the original taxonomic description of M. xanthorhoda by Schlecter in 1918 describes the leaf length as 11.5 cm. This plant has a closely matching leaf length of 11 cm. There are minute cilia along the margin of the basal portion of the lip and it is finely papilose on the apical margin of the lip. The flowers always come from the bases of the new growths as does this plant. This Maxillaria group is unclear and complex and should have more taxonomic research to clarify the species. Photos in the literature are confusing; some probably incorrect and may be M. procurrens Lindl. and not M. xanthorhoda.

Posted on Jun 22, 2023

Plant was obtained from a grower in Eureka CA. Origins South America.

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Paphiopedilum-areeanum-2023-06-22 *SITF confirms this plant is Paphiopedilum areeanum (Jun 2023).
Paphiopedilum areeanum is considered by some to be a natural hybrid between P. barbigerum and P. villosum; however, POWO (Kew) has accepted it as a species based on O. Gruss description in 2001.This plant and flowers are intermediate in size and habit between P. barbigerum and P. villosum. The flowers are also a good match to the photo and drawing in the IOSPE and the photo in orchidrooots.com. It does not match the markings in the dorsal sepals in the photos in the OW, but these are inconsistent with the dorsal sepal markings found on the drawing and on both P. barbigerum and P. villosum, but more like the spotting pattern found on P. gratixianum.

Posted on Jun 22, 2023

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Prosthechea-karwinskii-2023-06-19 *SITF confirms this plant as Prosthechea karwinskii (Jul 2023).
Based on the characteristic flat shape of the bottom of the midlobe; it closely matches the photo in the AOS "Orchids" magazine, July 2020, pg. 524 and in the "Orchids of Mexico", 2005, Hagsater et. al. with good matches to photos in the OW and the IOSPE (as Euchile karwinskii).

Posted on Jun 19, 2023

Included in the above photos are a sketch comparing the flat-bottomed lip of karwinskii to the lip of citrina, and also a botanical sketch of karwinskii, both of which were found online, by Ramon de l...

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Bulbophyllum-zamboangense-2023-06-14 *SITF has confirmed this plant as Bulbophyllum zamboangense (Jun 2023).
This plant matches the photos in the IOSPE and the OW; however, there is very little literature on this species. The description in the OW states: "4-angled, yellow pseudobulbs carrying oblong-elliptic, leathery, very slightly unequally bilobed apically leaves". The pseudobulbs on this plant are 4-angled and the leaves are very slightly unequally bilobed. The pseudobulbs are yellowish-green. Very good match to five images in the orchidroots.com. The inflorescence is much longer in this plant than the description.

Posted on Jun 14, 2023

Plant purchased from TOW in Hawaii, sold as Bulbophyllum zamboangense x self.

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Macropodanthus-philippinensis-2023-06-13 *SITF has determined this plant is Macropodanthus cootesii, not M. philippinesis (Jul 2023).
This plant was identified definitely as M. cootesii by Jim Cootes; our thanks to Jim for aiding us in the research. The long, curving side lobes are a key characteristic of M. cootesii; in M. philippinensis, the side lobes are barely noticeable. In the 2011, "Orchids of the Philippines" by Jim Cootes, he states the segments of M. cootesii reflex very strongly after only a few days; this could make the flower size quite variable, depending on when the flower was measured. This plant closely matches a previous 2012 CHM award to M. cootesii 'Big Foot', which was also verified by SITF.

Posted on Jun 13, 2023

The plant was purchased from an orchid vendor in the Philippines

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Dendrobium-fuscifaucium-Forrests-Lilliputian-CBR/AOS-2023-06-12 *SITF confirms this plant as Dendrobium fuscifaucium (Jun 2023).
Matches the photo found in the Phytotaxa article by Souvann. & Kumar describing the species. This was a collected plant not found in situ. The species is distinctive and related to Dendrobium hekouense. There is very little literature or photos available.

Posted on Jun 12, 2023

References published in Phytotaxa v. 541 (3); 29 March 2022; Plant collected 2021 (purchased in Laos at a roadside); not found in situ. Four pale yellow, oval pollinia

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