4' Dbl Spiked Lycaste NOID

[CR7cristiano]

Originally Posted by Wrebbitrocks

WOW do you have a picture of the plant. id love to know what it is. it doesnt look completely like a bletilla to me lol. if thats what they do with the spikes ima go buy one right now

here is a pic of the entire orchid.

[msaar]

This most certainly not a Lycaste, and is most likely a Bletia (as previously stated), either purpurea or florida(my opinion), both of which are native to the Caribbean. All orchids(including yours) have six basic floral parts (discounting sexual organs), 3 sepals, 2 petals and a lip(modified petal).

[CR7cristiano]

I disagree. More and more I read and look up info on them I'm leaning heavily toward Lycaste

[Orchidreamer]

Well the flowers don't look like lycaste, because lycaste flowers are not borne on tall, arching spikes. There is no lycaste that grows flowers and spikes like your plant. Generally lycastes have short spikes with one flower each, and the flowers are only a couple of inches from the base of the pot. Also lycastes have pseudobulbs which seem to be absent in your plant.

I would guess it is a bletilla, possibly a hybrid.

Still, it's a beautiful plant!

[CR7cristiano]

Originally Posted by Orchidreamer

Well the flowers don't look like lycaste, because lycaste flowers are not borne on tall, arching spikes. There is no lycaste that grows flowers and spikes like your plant. Generally lycastes have short spikes with one flower each, and the flowers are only a couple of inches from the base of the pot. Also lycastes have pseudobulbs which seem to be absent in your plant.

I would guess it is a bletilla, possibly a hybrid.

Still, it's a beautiful plant!

Their are quite a bit of pseudobulbs present, just that dirt has covered them because ants have made a nest right around it. Their are also two types of lycastes; the minature that you speak of with larger but fewer flower, usually only a couple, and they have larger specimens. According to my readings, this one matches all characteristics of the larger kind, from growth patern of the pseudobulb & leaves, to the large spray of blooms.

[ronaldhanko]

There is no Lycaste with branched spikes and flowers this color. This is, as several have pointed out, a Bletia, likely Bletia florida with all those flowers. I suspect the flowers are not large enough to be a Lycaste but only about 1.5 inches.

[sweetjblue]

I'm still sticking to Bletia. The lip is a dead give away. I think after checking this link that even you might agree. It's not striata as I first thought but looks to be of purpurea heritage. Oh, and it is also a native specie of Jamaica.

Bletia purpurea | Orchids Online

Judi

[ronaldhanko]

Actually, whatever species it is, and I am inclined to agree with Judi after looking again, these are Bletia, not Bletilla. I believe that Bletilla is limited to some smaller, similar-flowered Asian species.

[CR7cristiano]

Okie dokie, the Bletia looks more similar although I'm still seeing differene in the spike structure.

[monocotman]

Hi,
lovely flowers - really striking but definitely not a lycaste - if you have grown any you would see differences that are huge. It's a limitation of just looking at photos on the web.
Lycastes have large to huge flowers( 3 to 6 inches wide) superficially similar to yours but always on a very short stem and bourne singly.Never on a multiple spike. Bulbs are large and very obvious.
Whatever it is, I love it!
David