Bletia coccinea Lex. 1825
Flowers in situ in the federal area of Mexico Photos courtesy of Edouard Faria © 2006 All rights reserved.
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Common Name The Brick Red Bletia
Flower Size 3 1/2" [8.75 cm]
Found in the states of Jalisco, Michoacan, México, Morelos, Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexcio near the Pacific coast on bluffs, grassy slopes and grassy and rocky hillsides in oak or semi-deciduous forests at elevations of 1500 to 2000 meters as a medium sized, warm to cold growing terrestrial orchid with ovoid-ellipsoid or fusiform, horizontal pseudobulbs carrying narrowly lanceolate, plicate, long petiolate leaves that are present at flowering and blooms in the spring through fall on an erect, 12 to 20" [30 to 50 cm] long, racemose, few flowered inflorescence arising from the base of the leaves with a few, wide open flowers. In colonial days the people used the corms of this orchid to produce a glue called "Tzacuhtli" that was used in plumbing.
Synonyms Bletia fulgens Rchb.f. 1855
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1855 as B fulgens; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1856 as B fulgens; Flora Novo-Galaciana Vol 16 McVaugh 1985; Icones Orchidacearum 5 & 6 Orchids Of Mexico Parts 2 & 3 Plate 532 Hagsater, Soto 2002 drwaing fide;
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