Cycnoches maculatum

[Gena]

This one is one of my favorites among Cycnoches. Unfortunately, it is not so common in collections nowadays …..





Entire inflorescence:

[smweaver]

That's fantastic, Gena--and I've never heard of it before now. Do the flowers have any scent?

Steve

[Gena]

Thank you, Steve!

Do the flowers have any scent?

Yes, they are fragrant. But .... well, according to my nose it is nothing to die for!

[Bruno De Toni]

Gena, your plant is very healthy and strong. I was very much surprised to know that this cycnoches can be found in Europe. Do you have any idea where yours is coming from??. Venezuela is the homeland of this specie and it is also quite rare, it is restricted to the central portion of northern Venezuela in rainy forests at altitudes around 1000 / 1500 mts above sea level. Actually some orchid growers here are considering the specie in danger due to the destruction of their habitat. I was lucky a few years ago to find two plants in a dead tree here in Caracas very close where I live. Kep it save because is not a common plant and let me tell you that female flowers are more spectacular than male in this specie.

[Gena]

Thank you, Bruno!

I was very much surprised to know that this Cycnoches can be found in Europe.

Well, to tell truth it is almost impossible to find Cycnoches maculatum in Europe.
I bought couple of plants from, yes, Venezuela! And I have to say that I was very surprised after confirmation of my order.

tell you that female flowers are more spectacular than male in this specie.

Bruno, this year I especially give less light to all my Catasetum, Cycnoches and Mormodes just because of female flowers. Last season most of them produced female flowers and some stubborn plants flowered only with female flowers last years.... I start to be tired of them.....

[Gena]

Originally Posted by Bruno De Toni

..... let me tell you that female flowers are more spectacular than male in this specie.

Yes, Bruno, now I can see it! And, yes, I fully agree with you, female flowers are more spectacular in this case. The plant which I showed first is flowering now for the second time and this time with female flowers. Here they are - female flowers of Cycnoches maculatum.



Whole plant

[isurus79]

WOW!! I've never even heard of this one. This is truly a species that needs to be in cultivation more often. Was it found recently or is it that no one is really growing it?

[Gena]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Was it found recently or is it that no one is really growing it?

No Steve, Cycnoches maculatum is known since 1840 when it was described and registered as new specie. Take a look at full name - Cycnoches maculatum Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. 26(Misc.): 10 (1840).
With time, as Bruno said, it became quite rare, even in its home countries.

Bruno, do you have any information about presence of Cycnoches maculatum in Colombia? You said that it can be founded in central portion of northern Venezuela. Is Apure State a correct area? But, on the other hand if you could find the plants in Caracas .....

And, Bruno, thank you very much for information about altitudes. Great!

[Bruno De Toni]

Originally Posted by Gena

No Steve, Cycnoches maculatum is known since 1840 when it was described and registered as new specie. Take a look at full name - Cycnoches maculatum Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. 26(Misc.): 10 (1840).
With time, as Bruno said, it became quite rare, even in its home countries.

Bruno, do you have any information about presence of Cycnoches maculatum in Colombia? You said that it can be founded in central portion of northern Venezuela. Is Apure State a correct area? But, on the other hand if you could find the plants in Caracas .....

And, Bruno, thank you very much for information about altitudes. Great!

This plant is not common to find nowdays even here in its homeland, actually some orchid nurseries are planning to breed it in their labs because it has become quite rare and only a few people have it in their collections. The main reason for it, is the destructuon of the rain forests and restricted distribution in Venezuela. This cycnoches is restricted to the mountains of the nothern portion of the country within a particular cool and humid vegetation. This cycnoches does not like hot environments. I have heard that the plant has also been found in the Colombian andes as well as in the Merida andes (western Venezuela) but I have never saw any picture of it. I talk to different orchid growers that know this plant very well and they concluded a very restricted distribution in the mountains close to Caracas city, thats why I was lucky to find two plants in two green areas in a neighbousrhood located southeast of Caracas where there still exist some original forest surrounding the houses and buildings (picture 1 and 2).
Pictures 3, 4 and 5 were taken by my friend Jan Phal in its home where several plants grew naturaly in the roof of his house, this is the kind of pictures do we need to prove how it grows naturally even at home.
Apure state is located in southwest Venezuela and is to hot for this specie, but in the other hand is the homeland of catasetum pileatum, the king of catasetums specially for its imperial version.

Hope it can be usefull this information.

[Gena]

Originally Posted by Bruno De Toni

Hope it can be usefull this information.

It is great information! Thank you so much! And absolutely lovely pictures!!!
By the way, the flower spike starts growing on my second Cycnoches maculatum, it will be rather interesting to compare them.
How yours are doing, Bruno?