ANGULOA ORCHIDS An introduction

2 THE SPECIES 2.1 The clowesii Alliance - yellow flowered (A) Anguloa clowesii Veitch (James Veitch & Sons, Manual of Orchidaceous Plants, published around 1890) notes this species was first described in 1844. Hawkes (Alex D. Hawkes, Encyclopaedia of Cultivated Orchids), notes this plant produces somewhat cylindric pseudobulbs which are some 125 - 150 mm tall, clustered together, and which become furrowed with age. Its wide plicate leaves are deciduous over time, from 450 to 600 mm long, and are prominently folded. Single flowered inflorescences are produced, usually several at any one time, which are 300 mm tall. The flowers produce a heavy medicinal fragrance, are very waxy, bright golden yellow in colour. There is, as occurs in all the species, a complex hinged lip. Spring - summer flowering, it is native of Colombia and Venezuela. The plant is very similar in structure to ruckeri, its major distiction being its very different colouration. Hawkes notes there are a number of colour variants, the most important he lists being var. ebumea, described as being extremely rare. This is ivory/white in colour, but "The same as the typical form in every other way". Williams notes this is "a magnificent plant". Kennedy1 states that all the plants he has seen labelled ebumea have been referable to the species uniflora or virginalis. Perhaps this is why it is so rare!! Flattened lips Of all the Anguloa species clowesii has been the most widely used and the most successful in breeding. Anguloa clowesii var. flava is a yellow flowered varient (b) Anguloa cliftonii, Rolfe. This species, listed by Kennedy, is said to be often confused with clowesii. Hawkes notes it has very large, 85 mm flowers, which are waxy and highly fragrant, pale yellow shading to deep yellow at the base of the lip. It flowers in the spring and summer, and is identified as being native of Colombia. Originally it was called cliftoni but was quickly corrected to clitfonii Kennedy notes the lip of clowesii and cliftoni are distinct, the lips of all three yellow anguloas illustrated here in their flattened form Oakeley notes it is known from Colombia. An alba form is also known., as is a colcolor. Anguloa xrolfei is the natural hybrid between clitfonii and brevilabris. (c) Anguloa dubia, Rohb. f. This species, identified by Schlechter, is described by Williams as "a very distinct novelty, resembling uniflora in shape, but being the colour of clowesii - yellow. Its sepals and petals are covered inside with small purple spots, the lip white with purple blotches inside at its base. It flowers in "our November and December". Williams also records that "Professor Reichenbach noted that he thought this may be a hybrid between uniflora and clowesii, The Dictionary of Gardening (Royal Horticultural Society, 1964) agreeing with this concept. Kennedy illustrates its distinctive lip. Williams notes it is native of Colombia. Oakeley states this is a very rare endemic Colombian species, showing pale yellow petals and sepals, sparsely spotted red. Oakley also notes the artificial hybrid uniflora x closesii bearing the hybrid grex name of Ang dubia shows no resemblance to this species, the cross requiring a new name in the Sander's List of Orchid Hybrids.