Is this a Cattleya?

[greenhouseFrog]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I would guess Myrmecophila. (The former "Schomburgkias" that were classified as Laelia have slimmer pseudobulbs and different leaf shape)

Thank you Roberta! I was trying to get a better idea by looking at the pseudobulbs of the species that the Schomburgkias were split in to—quite a marked difference between some, but I still wouldn’t trust my assessment. You folks are the experience speaking, I’m just an earnest ear

[Roberta]

Take a look at Myrmecophila tibicinis vs Laelia splendida . Both have really long spikes, the flowers have similar wavy petals (which is how they got grouped into Schomburgkia) The p-bulbs and leaves are really different, the lips are very different too. So the split does make a lot of sense.

[greenhouseFrog]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Take a look at Myrmecophila tibicinis vs Laelia splendida . Both have really long spikes, the flowers have similar wavy petals (which is how they got grouped into Schomburgkia) The p-bulbs and leaves are really different, the lips are very different too. So the split does make a lot of sense.

I can’t blame the taxonomists for their earlier consolidation of the genera—it’s interesting that they evolved to display in such similar ways…perhaps a common pollinator? I’m going to dig into this a bit further!

[Louis_W]

If you unvover a cool pollination "syndrome" (word used to describe pollination behavior) or a reason why they grow such long stalks please tell us!

[greenhouseFrog]

Originally Posted by Louis_W

If you unvover a cool pollination "syndrome" (word used to describe pollination behavior) or a reason why they grow such long stalks please tell us!

On the topic of the long stalk, I’ve heard a claim that it’s for clearing the canopy in order to be more visible, but I have no way of substantiating that in a timely manner…Makes sense though if there’s a canopy to compete with, so I wonder if those species found in more deciduous environments tend to have shorter spikes because there’s little canopy to contend with. Rabbit holes in rabbit holes!