Stanhopea lietzei

[Frdemetr]

First lietzei of the season; this variety (light straw color with purple eyes) is relatively easy to be found in our woods (yet...). As any lietzei, it demands a relatively dry season in the winter, to induce blooming in the summer, and it has a delicious perfume!

[isurus79]

Fred,
My favorite types of Stans are the ones with porcelain white with bright purple spots. This one is just amazing! I'm not too familiar with this exact species, but is this the common color variety? I love it!

[Frdemetr]

Hi Steve!
There are four main varieties of Stan lietzei (some people state there are in fact eight varieties, but I guess they consider too much subtle differences):
1) Straw color (or porcelain white, as you stated) with purple eyes
2) Straw color without eyes (sometimes called var. stramminea)
3) Straw and yellow (yellow in the base of sepals, petals and lip) with red/brown eyes
4) Straw and yellow (yellow in the base of sepals, petals and lip) without eyes
Variety 1) is the commonest (but I don't know if it is the 'type') in the wild, varieties 2) and 3) are more seldom seen and variety 4) is by far the rarest.
Fortunately I have the four main varieties!

[smweaver]

Frederico, those are fantastic blooms. I've never seen this species for sale here in the US, so now I'll have to look out for it.

Steve