Laelia rupestris Lindl.

[Rosim_in_BR]

There is some confusion on the correct name of this species and so I am keeping for a while the very first name given by Lindley in 1842, hoping that taxonomists will reach some agreement someday. Long story short it was rupestris, became crispata, then mirandae and finally back to rupestris again. Another amount of discussion also takes place on the genus name: it was Laelia, then Sophronitis, and then Hoffmannseguella…
Nomenclature aside, this is barely reaching adulthood and is flowering for the first time. I have another one that bloomed a month ago, clearer than this. This rupicolous species has tall, conic pseudo bulbs, fleshy leaves and wide distribution in nature. Hope you enjoy it!
Mauro

[Phantasm]

What is your technique for growing rupiculous Laelias?(that's what I call them!). What media do you grow them in, and what temperature range? I understand they need good drainage....

[Rosim_in_BR]

Phantasm, I used to use tree fern fiber; it is a very good media for rupicolous Laelia. This specific one still is planted in it. But, the forbidding by law of the extraction and manufacture of this fern obliges us to try something else.
I have most of mine now planted in a mix of coconut fiber, shredded pine cone, charcoal and small white styrofoam balls (in fact, I scratch a large piece into very small irregular pieces). I use styrofoam to facilitate drainage. Proportions of each one are roughly 30-30-20-20 respectively. Good drainage is a need, you're right. But, we have to keep in mind that rupicolous are primarily mountain plants. They like hot temps during the day (80F and above) but need a sharp drop at night of at least 18-22F. Some, like Laelia briegeri, will benefit of very cool nights, around 50F. Even during summer.
Also, they are in general light lovers. In nature many are protected by the tall grasses, but many others grow in almost full sun. So, inside the grh they are located at the brightest place I can find. The combination of bright days and cool nights are the key, I think.
I hope this can help. If you need any other info, please feel free to ask.

[Lagoon]

Fabulous blooms, I love this little Laelia

[Tricho]

Thanks Mauro for sharing.

I bought a few ones this year and used small clay pots and stones as a medium and hydroton in others. Actually i'm just experimenting, because I don't know anyone that has this beauties, here.

[cupcake]

Spectacular! I would love to have the conditions to grow these!

[Toddybear]

Beautiful mini orchids...wish I could grow them but I don't get nearly enough light.

[cb977]

Thanks Mauro...another one on the "must-have" list!

[Phantasm]

Rosim,

What is the consensus of Brazilian experts regarding the recent taxonomic changes regarding the Laelia group? The lumping into Sophronitis seems especially troubling to traditional taxonomy.....Most people that I talk to are very resistant to these changes, although some certainly make sense.

[Rosim_in_BR]

[QUOTE=Phantasm;51786]Rosim,

What is the consensus of Brazilian experts regarding the recent taxonomic changes regarding the Laelia group? QUOTE]

Phantasm, although this might be a tough question to answer because of the various nuances involved, in my opinion the answer is right at the tongue’s tip: they are more than resistant accepting lumping Brazilian Laelias into Sophronitis. It simply seems not to make sense.
It’s not only about the traditional taxonomy versus the new DNA based taxonomy, which seems to be elevated to the category of modern god. If the traditional morphology based taxonomy does not answer to all the questions regarding separation of species, hence genera, the same can be said about DNA based analysis when applied to clarify vegetal species and/or genera boundaries. Especially because the DNA analysis are traditionally made on a small DNA region (called ITS), not on the whole gene set, as that would be expensive and time consuming.
The core of the problem, so often forgotten in my humble opinion, is that there’s no such a thing as a scientific definition of what a species is. And by extension what a genus is. I read somewhere that a wise old European professor of taxonomy, answering to the question of what a species is, answered that a good species is what a good taxonomist says it is. You see? The tools can be different (traditional or DNA, it doesn’t matter at all, they are simply tools), but the final decision continues depending on a human assessment of value, because those tools don’t give the taxonomists anything more than some elements to work on and then make some kind of decision.
I mean, the decision of lumping or splitting can be said scientific based, but not 100%. At a certain point, the taxonomist has to decide by himself, and himself alone, and say “this is not the same species (or genus) anymore, from this point on a new species (genus) begins”. The problem is that there are no scientific criteria to aid to determine where the exact separation point is. That’s why Van den Berg’s work separating Brazilian Laelias from the Mexican and lumping them into Sophronitis has the same scientific value of Vitorino’s posterior work, which keeps the separation from the Mexican, but rearranges the Brazilian species into a set of different genera - Hadrolaelia, Hoffmannseggella, Microlaelia and Dungsia- and also the recent paper by Campacci that renames Hadrolaelia to Brasilaelia (or, alternatively, places the large flowered Sophronitis into the new genus Brasilaelia).
These movements clearly show that Brazilian taxonomists don’t feel comfortable having Laelias inside Sophronitis.
Also, there’s the cultural aspect that seems that has completely been forgotten. When working on groups of species very well known by the public, as is the case here, the recommendation is to avoid changing names.
For all that, for us, the public, Sophronitis purpurata, for example, sounds like an insult, because Laelia purpurata is by far part of our cultural values. We have shows and feasts especially dedicated to this species. It is by law an official symbol of the Florianópolis City, the Capital of the State of Santa Catarina. Although it is not, many consider that Laelia purpurata should be the national flower of Brazil. Sophronitis purpurata nobody knows.
Sorry for the long post and the paste English.