Coryanthes macrantha or not?

[Stasisgate]

Hi folks,
these are some pics of what I believe to be a Coryanthes macrantha plant that I found a few years ago from a fallen tree on my uncles land. It was in a horrible state and thought it would not survive, with withered and some dried pseudobulbs and no leaves at all.

However, from the pics you can see 3 years later, it has most certainly recovered with over 50 pseudobulbs (I counted them myself) and is spiking for the first time (4 spikes).

What's got me confused is that I've read from many sources that this species is supposed to have just 2 flowers per spike and mine has a spike with 4 buds and another with 3 buds. As soon as the buds are opened I will post pics of the flowers.

Can anyone confirm my theory or prove me wrong?

[bellini girl]

wow, that's some plant. Throw in some crab and callaloo and I might be tempted to come see it myself Great growing

Lecent

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Questions...

How did you find out it was Coryanthes macrantha? Who confirmed the ID on this plant for you? What was this confirmation based on? Do you have pics from a previous bloom season?

I suggest waiting for this year's blooms to open if you don't have pics from a previous blooming season. Then someone can take a real shot at a good educated guess to it's ID.

Impressive specimen plant by the way! I know Coryanthes grew quick, I didn't realize how quick!!!

[Stasisgate]

Originally Posted by bellini girl

wow, that's some plant. Throw in some crab and callaloo and I might be tempted to come see it myself Great growing

Lecent

Have you been to Trinidad before? If you promise to come visit I'll have that crab and calalloo piping hot and ready for ya! You're the first person i heard talk about our food....amazing!

[Stasisgate]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Questions...

How did you find out it was Coryanthes macrantha? Who confirmed the ID on this plant for you? What was this confirmation based on? Do you have pics from a previous bloom season?

I suggest waiting for this year's blooms to open if you don't have pics from a previous blooming season. Then someone can take a real shot at a good educated guess to it's ID.

Impressive specimen plant by the way! I know Coryanthes grew quick, I didn't realize how quick!!!

Ok, lemme try to answer those questions. As I said before I believe it to be coryanthes and it's the first time it's blooming. Also, there are no other member of this family in this country with those spindle shaped pseudobulbs, the rest are stouter and shorter. But I know that there is Paphinia cristata and I don't know what the plant looks like.

However I know of only two native species belonging to this genus: Coryanthes macrantha and Coryanthes speciosa (but honestly I'm realy hoping for it to be macrantha).

At first the plant took forever to even begin sending out new growths but once it was established in the coconut husks there was no stopping it.

[Stasisgate]

Ok folks, the answer we've all been waiting for.....the mystery orchid is....drumroll.....


Coryanthes speciosa

.... and the crowd applauds

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

WOW!!! Those Euglossine bees don't waste time do they (it's the little green metallic insect underneath the mushroom cap)!

[charmbutterfly]

Oh wow thats so cool! You can see the nectar dripping!

[Stasisgate]

yeah they swarmed the orchid even before the sun came up properly

I hope the flowers last until the orchid meeting on sunday