SITF Blog

Lepanthes-leporina-2023-05-19 *SITF Confirmed this plant as Lepanthes leporina May 2023).

The drawing and lineup of species in the L. guatemalensis group match this plant only to P. leporina. "Illustrations and Studies in Neotropical Orchidaceae. 6. The Lepanthes guatemalensis group in Costa Rica" by Bogarin and Pupulin show a photo of L. leporina that clearly matches this plant. The IOSPE photo also closely matches this plant.

Posted on May 19, 2023

One pleasing flowers, no buds on one 2.5 cm inflorescence; plant 1.5x2.2 cm presented on a 5.0x6.0 tree fern plaque; nine 0.3 x 1.1 leaves, lanceolate, entire; sepals translucent yellow, veined bright...

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Peristylus-parishii-2023-05-15 *SITF confirms this plant as Peristylus parishii (May 2023).

Confirmation based on the tri-lobed lip and horizontally held tubular-like petals; excellent match to the photo on the IOSPE, the photos in orchidroots.com and to the illustration in Lucksom's 2007 " The Orchids of Sikkim and NE Himalaya". This plant matches the flower size and number of flowers per inflorescence for P. parishii.

Posted on May 15, 2023

Peristylus parishii Rchb.f. First published in Trans. Linn. Soc. London 30: 139 (1874) This species is accepted by Kew on POWO The native range of this species is Indian Subcontinent to S. China and I...

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Barbosella-orbicularis-2023-05-11 *SITF confirms this plant is Barbosella orbicularis (May 2023).

The flower size is correct at .3 cm and the leaves are sub-orbicular, which matches the description for this species. The article, "New Species and Records of Orchidaceae from Costa Rica" in Lankesteriana by Bogarin, Karremans & Pupulin contain the description and drawing of B. orbicularis which matches this plant. The species is easily recognized by its creeping habit and rounded, smooth, overlapping leaves and tri-lobed lip; in the Award Description, the judges described the lip as having two structures, which they termed "incurved lobules", which could be interpreted as keels. Supporting matching photos may be found in the IOSPE, OW and orchidroots.com.

Posted on May 11, 2023

Plant acquired from Ecuagenera. Sorry about the very poor quality of the dissected photo. The very tiny, fragile flower just fell apart.

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Dracula-erythrochaete-Blanca-CHM/AOS-2023-05-06 *SITF confirms this that plant is Dracula erythrochaete (Aug 2023).

This plant almost exactly matches the specimen from Kew's herbarium shown in the POWO. The plant and flower matches Luer's description and drawing in his Dracula Icones including three keels on the lip lobe and denticulate margin and it also matches the photo in the IOSPE.

Posted on May 6, 2023

Three flowers and two buds on five horizontal to upright inflorescences to 23.5 cm emerging singly from the base of carinate, narrowly elliptical obovate entire leaves 2.0 cm wide by 23.0 cm tall on a...

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Ophrys-sphegodes-subsp-aesculapii-Yellow-Petticoats-CHM/AOS-2023-05-03 *SITF confirms this plant as Ophrys sphegodes subsp. aesculapii (May 2023).

Ophrys sphegodes and Ophrys aesculapii were considered separate species in the 2006 Pierre Delforge's "Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East". The photo of O. aesculapii is a close match to this plant; however, Kew now considers aesculapii a valid subsp. of O. sphegodes. The genetics in this group are unclear, but most taxons appear genetically to be subspecies. Flower size and available images of O. sphegodes subsp. aesculapii closely match this plant. The mask pattern on the lip appears somewhat variable.

Posted on May 3, 2023

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Cattleya-lawrenceana-f-albescens-2023-05-02 *SITF confirms this plant as Cattleya lawrenceana (May 2023).

This plant matches the description of Cattleya lawrenceana; shape of the lip of C. lawrenceana is very distinctive. There is no published taxonomic description to subspecies of C. lawrenceana for the albescens color, so f. albescens cannot be used in this case. This is an uncommon, lightly colored form of C. lawrenceana. This plant may be a line-bred color mutation that came out of Chadwick's stock.

Posted on May 2, 2023

Plant was awarded as f. albescens but there are no previous awards to this form.

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Meiracyllium-trinasutum-var-album-2023-04-30 *SITF has confirmed this plant as Meiracyllium trinasutum (White Color Group) (May 2023).

The subspecies var. album has not been validly taxonomically identified for this taxon and therefore cannot be used. The term (White Color Group) is an acccepted designation used to deal with color forms that have no formal description. There are only two species recognized in this Genus, M. trinasutum and M. gemma; M. gemma has a very different flower than this plant; the lip is longer and more narrow; the pronounced beak-like extension of the column is much less pronounced and the throat is bright yellow. M. trinasutum flowers are typically purple.

Posted on Apr 30, 2023

Twelve flowers on three inflorescences on a 33-leaf plant 19-cm high and 14-cm wide mounted vertically covering the front of a small barkless log; leaves elliptical, entire, 3.5 cm wide by 5.0 cm long...

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