The American Orchid Society

SITF Submissions and Findings

The Species Identification Task Force receives submissions from orchid judging centers or exhibitors. The submissions are labeled by the name submitted under. When the plant's identity is confirmed, the last line in the post will have the correct name. We sometimes update pages with reference material pertinent to the submission.

Zootrophion-lappaceum-2023-03-18 *SITF determined this plant to be Zootrophion hypodiscus, not Zootrophion lappaceum (May 2023).

The key difference between Z. lappaceum and Z. hypodiscus is in the ratio of the width to length of the flower. Z. lappaceum is wider than it is long and Z. hypodiscus is longer than it is wide. This plant as seen in the photos is longer than wide, favoring Z. hypodiscus. The opening (window) of Z. hypodiscus is up to half the length of the flower and Z. lappaceum is less than half. The window on this flower appears to be almost exactly half the length, which also favors Z. hypodiscus. This plant matches the Key found in "Icones Pleurothallidinarum" and the drawing of Z. hypodiscus in the Systemics of Zootrophion.

Posted on Mar 18, 2023

Zootrophion-lappaceum-2018-10-25determined not to be Z. lappaceum. Confirmed as Zootrophion hypodiscus (Feb 2020). Z. lappaceum is an ellipsoid shaped flower, distinctly longer than wide; Z. hypodiscus is a discoid flower that is broader than long; this flower is broader than long and looking down at the dorsal sepal, it is discoid shaped.

Posted on Oct 25, 2018

The photos are named incorrectly. It should be lappaceum not lappareum. Purchased this plant from New World Orchids in July of 18. I believe the plant came from Ecuagenera.