!Coryanthes speciosa Hooker 1831 Photo courtesy of Jean Trubey

Another Clone Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding

Photo aspect of bucket interior Photo courtesy of Weyman Bussey

Another Color Variation Photo courtesy of Weyman Bussey

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Common Name The Outstanding Coryanthes

Flower Size 5" [12.5 cm]

Found in Trinidada & Tobago, French Guiana, Surinam, Guyana, Venezuela, Peru and Brazil at elevations around 100 meters as a large sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with tall spindly, rugose psuedobulbs carrying 2, apical, narrowly elliptic leaves which blooms in the summer on a basal, pendant, 1 1/2' [45 cm] long, bracteate, 1 to several flowered, racemose inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb and has a waxy, large flower that is quite fragrant, smelling of mint that is held well below the plant. This specis is often found in conjunction with ants and may benefit from their presence.

Synonyms Coryanthes albertinae H. Karst. 1848; Coryanthes barkeri Beer 1854; Coryanthes maculata Hkr.; Coryanthes maculata Lindl. 1835; Coryanthes maculata var. punctata Lindl.; Coryanthes maculata var. vitrina Rolfe 1895; Coryanthes powellii Schltr. 1922; Coryanthes punctata Beer; Coryanthes splendens Barb. Rodr. 1877; Coryanthes speciosa var alba Lindl. 1840; Coryanthes speciosa var exima Cogn 1902; Coryanthes speciosa var. punctata (Beer) G.Gerlach 1993; Coryanthes speciosa var. sumneriana (Lindl.) G.Gerlach 1993; Coryanthes speciosa var vitellina Morren 1846; Coryanthes sumneriana Lindl. 1856; Epidendrum galeatum Vell. 1831; Gongora macrantha Hooker; *Gongora speciosa Hkr. 1827; Meliclis speciosa (Hook.) Raf. 1836

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Symbolae Antillanae Vol VI Orchidaceae Urban 1909; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI Hoehne 1942; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI Hoehne 1942 as C punctata; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI Hoehne 1942 as albertinae; Native Orchids of Trinidad Schultes 1960; AOS Bulletin Vol 31 No 8 1962 photo; Venezuelan Orchids Vol 3 Dunsterville & Garay 1965; Flora de Venezuela Foldats Volumen XV Part 4 1970; Orquideologia Vol 12 3/4 1977/8; Orchid Digest Vol 42 No 1 1978 photo; Orchid Digest Vol 42 No 1 1978 as C sumneriana photo; Icones Planetarum Tropicarum plate 1209 Dodson 1985; AOS Bulletin Vol 56 No 9 1987 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 8 2004;

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