Myrmecophilia humboldtii [Rchb.f] Rolfe 1917 SUBGENUS Chaunoschomburgkia
Inflorescence Photos courtesy of Jay Pfahl
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Common Name Humboldt's Schomburgkia [German Naturalist late 1700 to early 1800's]
Flower Size 2 1/2 to 3" [6.25 to 7.5 cm]
Found in Venezuela, Aruba and the rest of the Netherland Antillies as a medium sized, hot to warm growing species with clavate, slightly compressed pseudobulbs carrying 2 to 3 rigid, narrowly oblong, obtuse leaves and is a winter to spring bloomer . They are best grown on wood mounts, some direct sunlight and ample fertilizer while growing and they will bloom on an apical, 3 to 4' [90 to 120 cm]long, racemose or paniculate inflorescence with fragrant, long-lasting flowers arising on a mature pseudobulb that has many successive opening flowers with only 3 or 4 open at a time at the apex of the stalk and occuring in the spring. This species is often found in conjunction with ants and may benefit from their presence.
Synonyms Bletia humboldtii Rchb.f 1861; *Epidendrum humboldtii Rchb.f 1849; Laelia humboldtii [Rchb.f]L.O.Wms. 1941; Schomburgkia humboldtii [Rchb.f]Rchb.f 1856; Schomburgkia humboldtii var breviscapa Jones 1972
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1854 as Epidendrum humboldtii; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1856; Xenia Orchidaceae Rchb.f 1854 as Epidendrum humboldtii drawing fide; Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1862 as Bletia humboldtii; Venezuelan Orchids Vol 1 Dunsterville & Garay 1959 as Schomburgkia humboldtia drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 1 1963; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 as Laelia humboldtii; Flora de Venezuela Foldats Volumen XV Part 3 1970 as Schomburgkia humboldtia drawing fide; Orquideologia Vol 12 3/4 1977/8 as Scomburgkia humboldtii; Orchids of Venezuela, An Illustrated Field Guide Vol 3 Dunsterville & Garay 1979 as Schomburgkia humboldtii drawing fide; Cattleyas and Their Relatives Withner Vol 3 1990 as Schomburgkia humboldtii photos fide; Venezuela; Paraiso de Orquideas Romero 1997 as Schomburgkia humboldtii photo fide; Orchids of Venezuela [An illustrated field guide] Vol. 2 Ramiro and Carnevali 2000 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 8 2004 as Schomburgkia humboltii;
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