Cattleya gaskelliana var. mosca

[Rosim_in_BR]

I had some trouble to keep this alive, but it finally is recovering and flowering again. Though it looks white it is actually entirely pale pink with just a darker mark in the centre of the midlobe.
Jan, is this right, var. mosca for this species?

[trdyl]

I am glad to see it recovered for you. It would have been a shame if it didn't. By the way, how large is your collection?

[RosieC]

It's gorgeous, great that it's recovered!

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by trdyl

I am glad to see it recovered for you. It would have been a shame if it didn't. By the way, how large is your collection?

I've been trying to make my collection smaller, so I have now about 1500 plants, Ted.

[trdyl]

Mauro, with all that you been posting I had to ask.

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by Jan Pahl

Well, it depends on how dark is the flower and the small dot... by the photo it looks "albescens" or maybe "suavissima", but if both things are darker than the photo, well you are right, you can call it "mosca" if you like.

Just to add few things... gaskelliana inhabits a very small area (the turimiquire range) at nord-east coast of Venezuela... and well, they are two demes, one small deme at Anzoátegui State between la trinidad and cerro del diablo in deciduous forest, and one more large and also the first one known at Guacharo cave surroundings (caripe zone at Monagas-Sucre border) at evergreen forest.

The ones from Caripe normally are very light in color (like yours), and also normally the labelum purple spot tends to be very light pink or if darker tends to have small spots ... So in a way your mosca is "type" for the species.

Now are more gaskellianas with better deep colors specially at the labelum thanks to the "Anzoátegui" deme, better known by collectors as "nuevo mundo ecotype"

Jan

Thanks for the info. It is very useful.
As for this flower, it is pale, very pale pink, so I guess suavissima is correct. Thanks, Jan.