Genus Identification Help - Orchid Board

Apricot · #1 10-12-2013, 01:58 AM

Hello all.

Today I found a bunch of orchids on clearance at Lowe's and I couldn't help but to pick up three of them. I'm only familiar with phals and when I saw this one I decided to take it with me. Roots were not too good and almost non existent on another. These two stalks were in the same pot. I really want to take care of them and knowing their genus is already half the battle, I think.

Much thanks!

Silje · #2 10-12-2013, 02:07 AM

I think they look like dendrobiums.

I was a bit unsure about the first picture, it has a cattleya look to it (but did not quite fit that bill still), but the second picture is definitely either dendrobium or ansellia and then it's just more likely that it's a dendrobium.

Apricot · #3 10-12-2013, 03:54 PM

Ooh. Thanks. Is there any other feature to differentiate between the cattleyas and dendrobiums?

sbrofio · #4 10-12-2013, 04:14 PM

First also reminds me a Grammatophyllum. The second I agree it could be a Ansellia or dendrobium

AnonYMouse · #5 10-12-2013, 05:28 PM

Lowes is a big box store. They don't have variety of genera.

The first looks like a Cattleya and the second a Dendrobium. Cattleyas have one or two fleshy, hard leaves (unifoliate, bifoliate) and Dens frequently (not always) have more. Your Den has a segmented cane, Catts don't.

Hope that helps, at least is a start. As you progress in orchid culture, you will run into a lot of confusing classifications and some that defy classifications. Its all part of the wonder of this hobby.

kindrag23 · #6 10-12-2013, 08:10 PM

Hope that helps, at least is a start. As you progress in orchid culture, you will run into a lot of confusing classifications and some that defy classifications. Its all part of the wonder of this hobby.[/QUOTE]

Hah boy aint that the truth....

---------- Post added at 06:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silje

I think they look like dendrobiums.

I was a bit unsure about the first picture, it has a cattleya look to it (but did not quite fit that bill still), but the second picture is definitely either dendrobium or ansellia and then it's just more likely that it's a dendrobium.

I like the first one for some type of cattleya cross as well....

Aussie42 · #7 10-24-2013, 06:39 AM

The first one is strange - I would have thought the canes would have increased in size from the youngest to the oldest, and they all appear about the same size. Perhaps it's fully grown? Either that or the cane in the centre is the oldest and the other two are growing off it... Or the roots aren't much good, that could explain it too. It seems to have three leaves per cane which - in my limited experience - is unusal for a Catt. The only thing I have that does this much is an...what was it now...ah, an Encyclia. It kind of looks like it's got segmented canes which doesn't fit with most of the Catts in my collection. But I'd go with the previous posters on this one.

I'd call the second as being a hard-cane dendrobium. Dad's terminology, he divides Dens into hard and soft canes. The old spike is very much a Den thing, but I am unfamiliar with ansellia.

Cheers,
Aus.

Silje · #8 10-24-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie42

The first one is strange - I would have thought the canes would have increased in size from the youngest to the oldest, and they all appear about the same size. Perhaps it's fully grown? Either that or the cane in the centre is the oldest and the other two are growing off it... Or the roots aren't much good, that could explain it too. It seems to have three leaves per cane which - in my limited experience - is unusal for a Catt. The only thing I have that does this much is an...what was it now...ah, an Encyclia. It kind of looks like it's got segmented canes which doesn't fit with most of the Catts in my collection. But I'd go with the previous posters on this one.
Aus.

I know. I had a look at that first picture again now and that one is just puzzling to me. I'm confused also because of those downward lines on the canes, as a continuation (or starting point) of the leaves... That doesn't look cattleya to me, but the rest does. I didn't even notice the three leaves until Aussie pointed it out. That's another confusing thing about that plant.

Can you take some more pictures of this one?

Aussie42 · #9 10-24-2013, 08:58 AM

Just to clarify, I am most certainly not saying I think it's an Encyclia - the only Enc I have is E fragans and that is completely different. More photos would be great, this has piqued my curiosity.

As Silje said, the striations/downward lines are very curious. It's something I often expect to see on softcane Dens but this one looks unusual.

Softcane Den is my current gut feel. Downward lines and the segmenting...

Cheers,
Aus.

AnonYMouse · #10 10-24-2013, 03:03 PM

Got me, I didn't notice the third leaves either. It is odd but I'm now favoring dens for both.