LYCASTE ORCHIDS The Section Macrophyllae

4. The Section Macrophyllae - part 2 4.b Lycaste dowiana Endris and Rchb.f. This was described in 1874. It is a species limited to Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, with some natural hybrids with "macrophylla" reported in the last country. It grows in open woods and streamside habitats in the Atlantic drainage system on the evergreen (broadleaf) tropical rainforest zone from 900 to 1400 metres (3000 to 4500 feet) above sea level. Natural rainfall is around 2000 to 4000 mm (80 to 160 inches) per annum, the habitat receiving daytime temperatures of 65-80 °F. This species is a small flowered member of the deciduous group blooming on the flush of the new growth when they are half mature in our February to March. Pseudobulbs are intermediate in size, bearing small spines. The flowers are 30 mm long, scentless, having sepals of very dark brownish-green colouration, grading to green on their apices. The petals are cream-white, faintly suffused yellowish. The lip is of similar colour with a deep yellow suffusion. Horich notes this is an uncommon but widely distributed species from the Atlantic rainforest, desiring warm to intermediate culture under humid conditions, with little dry period. Oakelely reports no hybridisation has involved this species 4.c Lycaste leucantha (Klotzsch) Lindley This was originally described in 1851 as a Maxillaria, having also been known as Lycaste leuco-flavescens. It has also been erroneously called Candida. This species inhabits the Atlantic slopes and forested mountains in the upper evergreen tropical forest and mountain forest. It has been collected in central to southern Costa Rica and northern Panama from 1200 to 1500 metres (4000 to 6000 feet) above sea level, where it enjoys cooler daytime temperatures and a rainfall of 3000 to 4600 mm (120-180 inches) per annum. This rain falls mainly in our October to June period, but Fowlie reports on most afternoons showers occur, even during the so-called 'dry' season. It is a medium-sized flowered member, flowering in the late autumn on the most recently matured growth of the previous summer, long before the flush of new growth. It exhibits a faint fragrance. The flowers are up to 80 mm in diameter, the sepals a uniform immaculate light apple green, with immaculate white-cream petals. The lip is cream-white flushed faint tawny-yellow. This is distinguished from 'macrophylla by its smaller habit, lack of red on the petals, sepals and lip. Horich states this is an uncommon large flowered orchid for temperate culture, that cannot stand prolonged drought. 4.d Lycaste neglecta Schlecter This is considered by Fowlie to be a race of Lycaste macrophylla which has not been recently re-collected. It was described from material from Bolivia, and, like other lowland races of macrophylla, has lost the characteristic red spotting of the petals 4.e Lycaste powelleii Schlecter First found near Panama City, it was described in 1922. This is a small flowered species flowering at various times of the year, but usually in our November to January from the matured smallish pseudobulbs. The flowers are scentless, 50-60 mm broad, the sepals and petals light green suffused bright chestnut-brown, bearing spots along the lateral margins. The petals are pinkish-white suffused light yellow, heavily spotted. The lip has the same base colour, suffused yellow at its base, the lip white, faintly spotted pink. Oakelely notes some half dozen flowers are produced per growth. 4.f Lycaste skinneri (Bateman ex. Ljndlg.xl.Lindley Considerable confusion surrounds the c orrect designation of this plant which appeared in England and France at about the same time, and which was described by two different authors under two different names. Bateman is considered by Fowlie to have first validly described this species as Maxillaria skinneri in 1840, the actual specimen being preserved in the Kew Gardens Herbarium, the description actually published by Lindley. Lindley had also sent material from the same species to France, a description of this material being published by Scheidweeler in 1842, but as Maxillaria (laterLycaste) virginalls , actually of the 'alba' form. The confusion over this plant's name hinges on which of these publications was valid. Fowlie states that as Lindley's description was the earliest by some two years, and that independant verification of the Kew material by Rolf, even as far back as 1892 where the 1840 specimen was clearly identified as the correct plant, that the earlier name of 'skinneri' must be applied. Incidentally, the name 'skinneri'-was given in honour of George Ure Skinner who introduced large numbers of plants of this species in to the United Kingdom in 1841. While the name skinneri appears correct (at least according to popular useage and Fowlie,) virginalis will be frequently seen. For registration purposes in The Sanders Lists, skinneri is used. Lycaste skinneri produces some of the largest flowers of the Lycaste species, flowering in the early spring from the base of the newly matured pseudobulb, usually before the appearance of the new growths. No significant fragrance is evident from the flowers, which are 120 to 140 mm in diameter. The colour varies with the different varieties, but are with basically clear cream-white sepals and petals, variously shaded with different tones of deep pink to lavender. The petals usually show darker suffusion, with the lip even darker, usually mottled with deep shades of dark purple-lavender, and with a reddish callus. Habitat descriptions indicate that it is found mostly at around 1500 metres (5000 feet) altitude, growing in the forks of the larger branches of large trees where it is quite cool, and where there is a rather low level of light intensity. Temperatures are also cool, not above 15 C (60 F) during the day during the dry season. From J.A. Fowlie "The Genus Lycaste NATURAL HABITATS "The plants of Lycaste skinneri which we found were at elevations varying between five thousand and fifty-five hundred feet. In the same areas we encountered Gongora cassidea, Trichopilia torticollis, Odontoglossum bictoniense, Chysis species and Dichaea spcs. Lycaste skinneri was found mostly at the 5,000 ft level and mostly in the forks of the larger branches of large trees where it was quite cool and of rather low light intensity. Many were found growing in the same trees as were the pendulous Chysis, giving you a better idea of the light intensity and temperature. I estimate the temperature was not over 60 degrees Fahr. when we found them in early February (August NZ), which is the middle of the dry season there. I am sure that at that elevation there are numerous times when the clouds shroud the forests wherein we found these plants growing. Although I do not know the exact flowering season in nature, I would assume it to be December or January ( June or July NZ), since most things I brought back flower here under cultivation in my greenhouse at this period. You might be interested to know that higher up the mountain from where we found Lycaste skinneri, we came across an area in a pine forest where Odontoglossum bictoniense were growing as terrestrials at 6,500 feet in an area not more than a hundred feet across; there must have been several hundred plants of this species and they were thriving beautifully. The ground was covered an inchor an inch and a half deep with pine needles. One of them (O. bictoniense) is in flower at the present time in our greenhouses. It is growing in, of all places, the Phalaenopsis house, as are the Lycaste skinneri. Down lower, L. skinneri was growing on trees perched on very steep slopes where it was difficult to walk. In the middle of the dry season there was very little moisture except for some clouds and there were no permanent creeks or streams, but I am sure during the rainy season there must be cascades and waterfalls. There were very few vines or other ground cover between the trees in which the Lycastes were growing, and they were not on the crests of the ridges, but in the "valleys" that go up the side of the mountain. We were on the southeastern slopes of the mountain and as I said we found them on the branches of the larger trees near the main trunk where it was quite dark." - John Furrow. "The small town of Coban, Alta Verapaz lies in the highland Guatemalan forest in the north-central District of Guatemala. While much of the Guatemalan highland forest is composed of pine or mixed oak-pine vegetation, many of the mountain peaks and upper sierra chains in Alta Verapaz have (from elevations of 1,800 metres upwards) a solid cap of montane cloud forest, composed only if dicotyledonous trees, growing in stands with few of the coniferous ingredients so characteristic of the central and lower mountain slopes. Lycaste skinneri was found growing in the relatively dark interior of these non-coniferous humid and cool, montane cloud forests usually on their crests but also down to their lower limits from 1,800 to 2,200 metres. I usually encountered the plants growing on slender, heavily moss-draped trees of perhaps 10-20 cm in diameter and usually from about 20 feet above the ground upwards, occasionally in branch forks or right on the tree trunk or on lower, heavier branches. One rarely finds more than two or three specimens on a tree and those bearing specimens are widely scattered throughout this peculiar montane cloud forest, although I will say they are more frequently on slopes in the vicinity of creeks. There are several inns and pensions in Coban where skinneri is kept; and these plants were collected by the Kekchi Indians in the surrounding mountains. Along the Rio Coban I collected Bothriochilus bella, Xylobium tuerckhemii but otherwise the forests have been so heavily timbered years ago that what few specimens must have existed around Coban are now gone with the destruction of their habitat, and native collecting and selling. However, near the small village of Tactic, I climbed Monte Chicoye, a very steep mountain in company with a Pocomchi Indian "guide", finding a dozen or so plants near the crest at an elevation of 2,000 metres. Associated species included Pleurothallis, Arpophyllum alpinum, Brassavola acaulis, Dichaea spcs., and Euepidendrum along with Xylobium and Bothriochilus. There is an immense variety of colour forms found in each area, varying in colour intensity, lip markings, size and all the way from pinkish to pallid or completely white. The albino (variety alba) form with a yellow throat and no purplet>r rose colour traces at all I obtained a single specimen of from an Indian on the central slope of Volcan Chucanep (30 km from Tactic), collected among other L. skinneri on the upper cloud forested slope of this semi-active volcano. I have also found skinneri along the Montebello lakes shore forests at the immediate border between the Mexican state of Chiapas and the Guatemalan border, where it is rare and outnumbered by 10 to 1 by Lycaste deppei, natural hybrids between the two occasionally collected." - Clarence Kl. Horich. Veitch (James Veitch and Sons 'Manual of Orchidaceous Plants') notes this is one of the easiest orchids to cultivate, only requiring a temperature that does not sink below 10 C (50 °F). There is a fine 'alba' variety, extremely rare in nature, which is suggested to occur about once in every 2000 plants. There are also a large number of named varieties, primarily identifying various colour forms. Lyc. Koolena Oakelely notes this is the most popular and spectacular Lycaste species, individual clones of which are however very variable in size and colour. He states 2 to 8 flowers are produced, and that it definately prefers a cool glasshouse. Lycaste Auburn This species has been the most widely utilised in hybridisation, included in such hybrids as Imschootiana, Auburn, Sunrise, Koolena, Shoalhaven, Betty Sparrow, Balliae and Leo. The breeding is more fully documented in Oakelely's article. 4.g Lycaste xytriophora Linden and Rchb. f This is a small flowered deciduous species which dates from 1872, and which is native of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. 2 to 5 flowers are produced per growth on the new half matured pseudobulb, in our January to February. They show very light green sepals which are gently suffused light tan. The petals are cream-white suffused greenish on the exterior. The lip is creamy-white with some yellow markings. Horich, in Fowlie's work, notes this species comes from a transitional area between the rainforest and desert belts. In this area it rarely rains, although cloud fog is prevalent, especially at night. For this reason, few epiphytes are present in this habitat, most plants, including this Lycaste, are rock (lithophytic) growing. The species forms tremendous solid colonies on huge rock boulders. Oakelely indicates limited hybridisation with this species, its short stems and undramatic shape coupled with a sequential flowering habit being disadvantages. In breeding, especially with Anguloas, it has, however, given dark colouration, and often produces two flowers per stem. RETURN TO PART 1