Albosanguineum or Aphrodite?

[Stasisgate]

For the past few years I have been confused by these two plants. Their flowers are almost identical if not the same.

The pictures show the flowers on an albosanguineum plant (I have it labelled as albosanguineum) but the flower on the aphrodite is exactly the same. I have a few plants each of the two and I cannot tell the difference.

Can someone help me distinguish between the two please?

[RosieC]

I certainly can't see the difference, either in your pictures or in others of the two on the web

[RosieC]

I've just checked and Kew recognises then as distinct species from each other, both from Myanmar... so there must be a difference

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Sometimes what are considered different species can come down to something as minute as column length and width.

It may also have something to do with the macroscopic appendages or glands or what-not on the column and labellum areas.

Another thing to consider is that sometimes two different species may have similar looking flowers but very different looking vegetative growth forms.

You may want to take measurements and take extreme close-up photos of the labellum and the column areas.

You may be able to check against the measurements and extreme close-up photos of Den. aphrodite, idk.


Just as an example of the minutia involved in separating species...

The differences between the different species of Psychopsis are not readily apparent at first glance. Only when you bust out a magnifying glass or do extreme close-ups of the column and labellum areas, and take measurements will you start noticing differences.


Here's an example of similar looking flowers on 2 different species, but vegetatively they're very different from each other...

Vanda coerulescens vs. Vanda lilacina

[Stasisgate]

Thanx guys...

I'll do some measurements King, but when they rebloom next year. My plants of both aphrodite and albosanguineum have bloomed this year already, so I'll have to wait for the next flowering season.