The mystery continues.
About the only thing I can say with any certainty is that these are not Prosthechea cochleata - not species at any rate.
I purchased all three of these guys fresh out of the flask, a flask labelled 'Encyclia cochleata', all three have grown side by side in identical conditions, heat, watering, feeding etc.
They are identical, (to my eye), in terms of foliage, pBulbs, root systems and growth habits. The only difference so far is the inflorescence.
This was the first of the trio to bloom, as well as the original subject of this thread. Hoods are rich, dark plum. Sepals and petals are unmarked and much more yellow than its siblings. Fragrant all day, pleasantly so in the morning - becoming sour as the day warms up.
This was number two to bloom. Has the smallest flowers of the three. Petals/sepals are paler than its siblings, also shorter and wider. Slight speckling at the base of some of the sepals/petals. Hoods are quite pale, background colour very pale with maroon veining. Fragrant all day long, not as strong as its siblings, but more pleasant - like a very mild radiata.
This was the last of the odd trio to bloom, still in the process of opening buds in fact. Has the longest and thinnest sepals/petals of the three. Largest blossoms of all three. Darker and greener than the others. Hood is pale and veining is stronger than the previous plant, but still much less than the first. Interesting maroon speckles all along the petals/sepals. Has a hot, spicy fragrance in the morning only, fades to nothing by about 10am.
With the first two plants I assumed a cochleata x radiata/lancifolia mix, but with the speckles and darker colours and larger blooms on the third plant I'm stumped. The fact that all three have very different fragrance times and scents further confuses me.
I think I'll just change all their tags to 'Prosthechea soup'
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