Bletia patula Graham 1836 Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler.
Plants in flower en situ, Samana Dominican Republic
Plants in flower en situ, Samana Dominican Republic
Plant ensitu Samana Dominican Republic Photos courtesy of Jay Pfahl
to 
LATE 
Common Name The Wide Open Bletia - Haitian Pine Pink
Flower Size 2 1/2" [6.25 cm]
This epi-lithophytic species is found on cliffsides in dirt or lithophytically at elevations of 200 to 850 meters and as such has squat, globose, ringed pseudobulbs carrying long, plicate, deciduous, lanceolate leaves and is a hot growing, fragrant, spring blooming orchid with a basal, 3' [90 cm] long, erect inflorescence terminating in a lax, successively few to several flowered raceme occuring in late winter and spring arising from a leafless pseudobulb that carries up to 6 showy flowers and is found in Hispanola, Cuba, Florida and Puerto Rico. It is quite common on roadside cuts through hills and as such has benifited by man's roadbuilding.
Synonyms Bletia patula var alba Hawkes 1950; Bletia shepherdii Griseb. [non Hkr.]1866;
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Symbolae Antillanae Vol VI Orchidaceae Urban 1909; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1993; An Orchid Flora Of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Ackerman 1995 drawing fide; The Orchids of Cuba LLamacho 2005; Orchidaceae Antillanae Nir 2000; Orchids of Malaya Holtum 1953
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
