Schomburgkia???

[CoolPhrog]

This plant belongs to a friend of mine. She's had it for 12 years and it belonged to her Grandmother!! It really is a great looking plant but she needs some help...is this a Schomburgkia??

P.S. I'm trying to get her to join the board!!! She checked it out over the week-end and really likes it here

[Sandy4453]

It definitely looks like a Schomburgkia but what kind, not sure. The canes are housed by ants, they find their way and you should notice that the older canes are hallowed, somewhat because of the ants.

Here are a couple of links: Phil's Orchid Page - The Cattleya Alliance Culture - additional information on SCHOMBURGKIA, Jay's Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia -Q-SEL

I have a tibicinis. Here's what that looks like:

[bellini girl]

Sure looks like . I have a Schomburgki Thomsoniana and the PB's look exactly like yours. Mine is currently not blooming

Lecent

[SP2340]

Very nice!! And different... good different!

[Roly0217]

It definetely looks like a Schomburgkia to me but wouldn't know which one is it. I've got a thompsoniana that is still very small compared to that beauty. However comparing the photos it does look a lot like a thompsoniana but the buds haven't fully open on that one

[laorchidia]

Those ants have been on that plant for a long time, I have been hesitant to attempt to get rid of them with any type of pesticide for fear of killing the plant. But in retrospect I can see how they have probably done a great deal of harm. Any suggestions on what I can use that would not harm the plant, but get rid of the ants.

[Royal]

The ants don't harm the plant. It's a symbiotic relationship - the plant houses the ants, and the ants protect the plant form pests.

[Dorothy]

They are also known as Myrmecophilia - 'ant loving' because of this unique relationship between orchid and ant ..
As per IOSPE - Jay's Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia - Me - Ny -
"These species were listed in Schomburgkia but have been moved to the new genus Myrmecophilia which means ant bearing, and as the name implies they have psuedobulbs that are naturally hollow to accommodate an ant colony who keep the long growing, long spiking inflorescence and buds safe from predators such as thrips, who would suck the buds dry in a second."

[isurus79]

While Im no Schombo expert, I would guess that you have thompsoniana. This species' flowers looks very similar to tibicinus (as your pics show), except the bulbs and the spikes are MUCH shorter. That my guess and Im sticking to it!

[orchideric]

I would say straight Myrmecophila tibicinus but do note that the spike are shorter than most.

Eric