ID help for some laelias

[inombrable]

Hi, it is Laelia flowering time around here so now is the opportunity to identify the new acquisitions.


I got this one from my usual source in the city (they are just resellers and don't id the plants).

Looks to me like Laelia anceps var barkeriana but i might be wrong.

Just one leaf in the pbulb.

[inombrable]

The second one i got form a local fair a few weeks ago and didn't received enough humidity and ended up developing a very thick honeydew (?) and the flowers stuck to it and couldn't develop properly hence the shape in the first picture. I noticed three differences compared to the previous one, the slightly more curled petals and lip, the calli are similar but not the same and a slight darker tonality.

[inombrable]

The third one I got today in a small town near here. It is unfortunately just one pseudobulb with 2 leaves and no roots, the flowers in the stem are very damaged.

I am thinking this one is L. gouldiana, what do you think?

BTW the flower is missing the dorsal sepal.

[estación seca]

I don't know for sure, but they are very beautiful.

[stonedragonfarms]

Love the color on the second one! The first two plants both look like anceps v. veitchiana to me (white/pinkish petals and lavender lip); the third looks more like L. autumnalis to me that L. gouldiana; mostly because of the pointed ends of the petals; most gouldianas that I have seen have had much more roundness at the end of the petals.
Just my $.02,
Adam

[inombrable]

Thanks Estacion Seca they are really nice and showy.

Adam i agree with you on the anceps veitchiana, also i found online a book about mexican laelias and it matches the description.

According to that book the second one might be a gouldiana rather than autumnalis mostly because of the detail and form of the calli.

Thanks again for the input, lets hope i can save it.

BTW what woud you recommend to induce roots on this rootless single pseudobulb??

[stonedragonfarms]

For a rootless bulb, I'd do a couple of things, after first removing the spike (it takes a lot of energy to sustain flowering, we want the bulb to put those resources to root growth...)
1. Clean up the area at the base of the bulb--if there is any dead sheathing, carefully peel it away at this time. You should see 2-3 small bumps that are pointed at one end somewhere near the base of the bulb--these are the dormant growths that will become the next set of pseudobulbs. Removing the spent sheathing and exposing them to light is usually a trigger for new growth.
2. I'm not sure where you are at in Mexico, but I grow most of my Mexican laelias mounted; that being said, I'd probably mount the bulb on a slab of oak/cork/tree fern in a horizontal position--we want the mount to retain a bit of moisture between surface of the mount and the pseudobulb (think of it as a localized humidity zone), but still drain and dry freely/rapidly; a horizontal mount will accomplish this.
3. Grow on under 50% shade; ideally in 50-60% relative humidity. Night temps should not go much below 55f. When watering, do so preferably in the morning; as the leads develop and begin to send out roots, water pretty much any time that suits you, but morning and mid afternoon are typically best.
4. Don't fertilize until the roots are 1-2" long, and then, only at 1/4-1/2 strength (though you can fertilize at every watering)
Good luck and keep us posted,
Adam

[inombrable]

Excellent, thanks a lot again

[estación seca]

Earlier this year Roberta (I think) wrote that these things only make roots once per year, at the end of the dry season, so they are ready when the rain comes. My observation on the L. anceps and L. gouldiana I have confirm this.

[katrina]

I'm not sure on the others but I don't believe var veitchiana is a correct ID for any of those. Way too much pink in the petals. Mine is almost white w/a lavender lip that is almost coerulea in color. I can't find my pics right now but HERE is a great example. I got mine at Andy's but it looks just like this one.

My gouldiana is in spike right now...as is my anceps 'Greta Garbo' and autumnalis...I can post pics when they are in flower.

As for the root growth...anceps and the other ancep types/Mexican laelias produce roots after they flower. The new growths get started...grow and mature and flower...and then the roots begin to grow. I think I've had a couple of occasions where one or two might have started roots toward the end of the flowering but that could just be a mis-remembered thing. As a general rule w/these guys...no roots until flowering is finished. And, if I'm not mistaken, there is a period of inactivity prior to the roots actually starting to grow. I'll have to pay more attention this year.

I have some mounted and some in pots...they grow equally well for me. As long as whatever it's potted in can dry fast, it'll be good. My mounted ones have become quite cumbersome for a home growing set up and I recently divided the var veitchiana...cutting the front section off and potting it up. If you have the space...they will all do very well mounted and you'd never have to worry about accidentally rotting the roots by watering too much in winter.

FWIW - I do most of my watering late afternoon but my space is very dry due to the lights so I do this on purpose so the water doesn't evaporate before it has a chance to actually give the plants some hydration.