SITF Blog

Cattleya-mendelii-2023-08-07 *SITF confirms that this plant is Cattleya mendelii (Aug 2023).
The pseudobulbs are ribbed and more or less cylindrical; photos show a single leathery leaf, which is held nearly vertical and the lip markings fit the description and the photo in the IOSPE. This is a good match to many of the "semi-alba, coerulea" forms of C. mendelii shown in the orchidroots.com.

Posted on Aug 7, 2023

Awarded 78 pt HCC and 88 pt CHM 5-13-2023. Description as follows: "Fourteen delicately and unusually hued semi-alba cerulean flowers on seven 13-cm inflorescences; sepals narrow lanceolate, rolled a...

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Dendrobium-arachnoideum-2023-08-06 *SITF confirms that this plant is Dendrobium arachnoideum (Aug 2023).
This plant is an excellent match to the description and photo in Laverack et. al. "Dendrobiums and its Relatives". Also, a good match with D. arachnoideum in the OW, orchidroots and in the IOSPE as Diplocaulobium arachnoideum. Also described with photos in the http://www.orchidsnewguinea.com website. 

Posted on Aug 6, 2023

Plant awarded CHM/AOS 81 pts March 24, 2023. Division of same awarded CCM 87 pts July 27, 2023.

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Pinalia-rhodoptera-2023-08-05 *SITF confirms that this plant is Pinalia rhodoptera (Aug 2023).
This plant is an excellent match to the description and photo in Cootes's 1991, "Orchids of the Philippines" and the illustration in the OW and photos in the orchidroots.com. It also matches the photo in the IOSPE as Eria rhodoptera.

Posted on Aug 5, 2023

Description is as follows: "Twenty-five intriguing flowers on a single, upright, axillary, 28-cm inflorescence; sepals lanceolate, recurving distally, pale cream, flared red apically; petals lanceola...

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Telipogon-astroglossus-Fiona-CHM/AOS-2023-07-27 *SITF confirms this plant is Telipogon astroglossus (Aug 2023).
This plant matches the photo in the IOSPE and the description in Dodson's "Native Ecuadorian Orchids". Also closely matches 18 photos in the orchidroots.com. The description of this plant indicates measurements of the pseudobulb; however, Dodson describes the species as pseudobulbless; this could due to mistaking the conduplicate leaf bases for a cane or pseudobulb. No pseudobulbs appear visible in the photos. Flowers are somewhat large at .96 cm compared to the description in the IOSPE of .65 cm.

Posted on Jul 27, 2023

Seven charming flowers and 10 buds on three, branching, indeterminate, arching inflorescences up to 4.5 cm, presented on a 3 growth, established plant mounted onto cork laminate 7cm x 5 cm with a smal...

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Paphiopedilum-leucochilum-var-album-2023-07-26 *SITF has determined this plant to be Paphiopedilum leucochilum (Yellow Form) (Aug 2023).
The true Paph. leucochilum has a clear white pouch without spots, for which the species was named. The sepals and petals on this flower is a pale cream-yellow with a lighter-to-white pouch devoid of spots, as can be seen in the photos. The award sheet states the dorsal sepal is "veined faint burgundy, almost imperceptible" with "petals spotted faint burgundy". This is difficult to see on the photos, since the burgundy is very faint, but it is there and this would negate an "album form". Also, there are no validly published subspecies, including variety album, for this species. The yellow form of P. leucochilum seems very rare and there were none found in the available images of P. leucochilum.

Posted on Jul 26, 2023

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Maxillaria-tenuifolia-2023-07-24 *SITF confirms that this plant is Maxillaria tenuifolia (Aug 2023).
This plant appears to be a large, very vigorous growing Maxillaria tenuifolia. The hybrid Max. Maui Coconut (M. tenuifolia x M. sanguinea) was considered; however, M. tenuifolia is much larger than M. sanguinea, which has smaller, thinner leaves. The hybrid is also smaller than M. tenuifolia and this plant. It's possible this plant could be line bred to produce larger flowers with better substance and may possibily even be polyploid and still within the variability of M. tenuifolia.

Posted on Jul 24, 2023

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Platystele-umbellata-2023-07-24 *SITF confirms this plant as Platystele umbellata (Yellow Form) (Jul 2023).
This species is very distinctive with its umbel shaped inflorescence for which it is named. Previous awards to this species and all available photos show flowers that are only purple to bright red, this plant is an unusual deep old gold-yellow color. This plant matches the Type drawing by Ortiz in the IOSPE, including the minute cilia on the flower when the photos are greatly enlarged.

Posted on Jul 24, 2023

Country of origin: Colombia. Distinct yellow color of otherwise purple color flowers; flowers are very small to measure with the naked eye.

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Encyclia-x-darieniana-Memoria-Konstanty-Maciaszek-CHM/AOS-2023-07-15 *SITF confirms this plant as Encyclia x-darieniana (Jul 2023).
This plant was identified by one of the describing taxonomists, Ruben Sauleda, as definitely E. x darieniana. It matches the description and photos in the New World Orchidaceae 2019 paper "Nomenclatural Notes A New Natural Hybrid of Encyclia moebusii H. Dietr. (Orchidaceae) is Described for Cuba" by Davila, Esperon, and Sauleda. This plant fits the intermediate form between E. moebusii and E. phoenicea.

Posted on Jul 15, 2023

Eleven stellate flowers and 2 buds on a staked, arched 75 cm inflorescence emerging from the apex of the newest mature pseudobulb on a seven ovate predominately unifoliate pseudobulb plant, narrowly l...

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