IOSPE PHOTOS

Plant in situ in Mexico Photo courtesy of Weyman Bussey.

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Common Name Two-edged Laelia in Mexico El Toro

Flower Size 2 1/2 to 4" [6.25 to 10 cm]

This is a medium sized, hot to warm growing species from Mexico and Honduras and is found from altitudes of 500-1500 meters as an epiphyte in coffee plantations, pastures, osk and oak and pine forests with a solitary leaf in tall scattered oaks, or on rocks below them or in pastures and coffee plantations, often in full sunlight, with ovate-oblong, compressed, edges acute, flattened-sides ribbed pseudobulbs carrying 1 or rarely 2, apical, oblong-lanceolate, leathery, acute leaves that is an autumn to spring blooming plant with 3 to 6 scented, long-lasting flowers in a terminal cluster, per 2 to 4' [60 to 120 cm] long, alternately sheathed inflorescence, that needs a dry winter rest.

This is a truly great hardy drought-tolerant species from Easten Mexico with fantastic flowers, L. anceps is a Christmas bloomer, angular 4" bulbs with a solitary thick dark green 8" leaf, long 2 ft. spikes each with clusters of 2 to 5 flowers, the very showy 4" to 5" blooms are pale lavender with an intense crimson lip that has a yellow/red striped center, very easy to grow and fragrant, does very well outdoors down to 32 F.

Synonyms Amalia anceps (Lindl.) Heynh. 1846 ; Amalias anceps [Lindley] Hoffmannsegg 1842; Bletia anceps [Lindley] Rchb.f 1863; Cattleya anceps [Lindley]Beer 1854; Laelia barkeriana Knowles & Westc. 1837;

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 5 - 6 Orchids of Mexico Part 2 - 3 Plate 597 Hagsater & Soto 2002

Laelia anceps Lindley 1836 var alba 1879 subgen Laelia sec Podolaelia Schlechter

Photo courtesy of Wilma Braga

An albino form of the flower.

Laelia anceps var barkerriana Lindley Photo courtesy of Edwin Whitmann

Laelia anceps Lindley 1836 var. chamberlainiana Lindley 1895 subgen Laelia sec Podolaelia Schlechter Photo courtesy of Allen Black.

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Laelia anceps Lindley 1836 var coerula Photo courtesy of Edwin Whitmann

A purple colored form of the previous species.

Laelia anceps var. dawsonii J. Anderson 1865 subgen Laelia sec Podolaelia Schlechter

Photo by © Lourens Grobler

Laelia anceps has been divided into 2 major groups Laelia anceps var anceps which are found on the eastern side of Mexico and L. anceps var dawsonii which are found in the western half of Mexico. .

Laelia anceps var. dawsonii J. Anderson 1865 subvar. Chialapensissubgen Laelia sec Podolaelia Schlechter

Plant in situ near the town of Chilapa, Guerrero at 5000 ft elevation, exactly.

Flowers in situ same as previous Photo courtesy of Weyman Bussey.

This particular subvariety has been called L anceps var Guerrero

Synonyms Laelia anceps fo. chilapensis Soto Arenas 1993; Laelia anceps fo. dawsonii (J. Anderson) Soto Arenas 1993; Laelia anceps subsp. dawsonii Rolfe 1922; Laelia anceps subsp. sanderiana (Rchb.f.) Rolfe 1922; Laelia anceps subsp. schroederiana (Rchb.f.) Rolfe 1922; Laelia anceps var. hallydayana O'Brien 1894; Laelia anceps var. sanderiana Rchb.f. 1887; Laelia anceps var. schroederiana Rchb.f. 1885; Laelia dawsoni Crawshay 1902; Laelia sanderiana (Rchb.f.) Crawshay 1902; Laelia hallidayana (O'Brien) Crawshay 1902; Laelia schroederae Crawshay 1902; Laelia schroederiana (Rchb.f.) Crawshay 1902

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Icones Orchidacearum 5 - 6 Orchids of Mexico Part 2 - 3 Plate 597 Hagsater & Soto 2002

Another Color Variety

Laelia anceps Lindley 1836 var semi-alba Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

Laelia anceps var. veitchiana Rchb. f. Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding

Laelia anceps var. vestalis 'Figment' AM/AOS Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, plant grown by Sunset Orchids.