Cymbidiella rhodochila [Rolfe]Rolfe 1918 Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

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Common Name The Red-Lipped Cymbidiella

Flower Size 4" [10 cm]

A large, warm growing plant from Madagascar found at elevations of 800 to 1300 meters with oblong-conical, blackish purple pseudobulbs carrying 5 to 10, all in one plane, cymbidium-like, disticous, linear-loriform, acute, dull green leaves arching over a oblong-conical pseudobulb that turns dark purple with age. It blooms in the late spring on an erect, to 3 1/3' [105 cm] basal, many flowered raceme that arises from the base of a mature pseudobulb and is a sight to see blooming or not. It is a evergreen plant that requires regular watering and fertilizer year round. Almost always found in conjunction with Platecerium species.

Synonyms Caloglossum rhodochilum (Rolfe) Schltr. 1918; Cymbidiella pardalina [Rchb.f] Garay 1976; *Cymbidium rhodochilum Rolfe 1904; Grammangis pardalina Rchb.f 1885

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora of Madagascar Perrier 1939/1983 as Grammangis pardalina; AOS Bulletin Vol 62 No 9 1993 drawing; AOS Bulletin Vol 65 No 4 1996 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 70 No 2 2001 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 74 No 11 2005 photo as C pardalina;