Volcan Barú, Panama Orchids

[Curtis2010]

Originally Posted by isurus79

That's pretty cool! Does it get inundated with water?

In general there is a dry season and a rainy season here. Not inundated in rainy season, but some amount of rain, often heavy, in rainy season every day (mostly afternoon/evening).

However, the number of micro climates here are amazing. Seems like every few kilometers the climate is a bit different. Much of the higher elevations are cloud forest like so constantly moist.

The orchid species vary in each microclimate. Example: there are many micro orchids in the high cloud forests (6,000 to 8,000'), but very few at lower (4,500') elevations.



---------- Post added at 06:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:44 PM ----------

We just spent a few days camping & hiking near the Volcan Barú trailhead on the Paso Ancho side of Barú. Lots of orchids were in bloom. Found several varieties that were new to me...one really spectacular and the only one of this variety Ive ever seen here.



Several high alpine meadows were full of orchids in bloom...many groups of a white Sobrallia-like variety (looks like to me anyway).

Link to pics:

Dropbox - Baru Trail Head 20180802 - Simplify your life

[Curtis2010]

I would like to start identifying some of these at least to genus level to get started. Below are my semi-educated guesses in sequence for those in the link above with growth habit in parens.

All were found at about 5K' at about 08°50N latitude in Panama.

Prosthechea (terrestial)
Oncidium (terrestial)
Sobralia (terrestial)
Ecyclia (lythophytic...or at least growing on top of a rock with thick moss, etc)
Oncidium -- same variety as above



What do you think?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Pic #1 is a species of Oncidium relative, probably a Lemboglossum species.

Pic#2 is indeterminable because of the glare on the flowers. Although, I keep thinking it might be some sort of Govenia species.

Pics #3 and 4 are some sort of Encyclia species, perhaps the colony is Encyclia brassavolae, (aka Panarica brassavolae).

Pic #5 is an Epidendrum species of some kind.

Pic #6 is a species of Cleistes, probably Cleistes rosea.

Pic #7 is a Habenaria species that is in section Leptoceras.

Pic #8 is definitely a species of Sobralia.

Pic #9 Habenaria species in habitat probably the same species in Pic #7.

Pic #10 looks like some sort of Brassavola species.

In your Dropbox:

Pic #1 same Habenaria species in Pic #7 posted here on Orchidboard.

Pics #2 and #5 in your Dropbox are the same species of Oncidium relative as the one in Pic #1 posted here on Orchidboard, (probably some sort of Lemboglossum).

Pic #3 is a species of Sobralia.

Pic #4 looks like it is probably Encyclia prismatocarpa (aka Panarica prismatocarpa).

[Curtis2010]

Thanks very much! I will follow up on those.

[Curtis2010]

Originally Posted by isurus79

That's pretty cool! Does it get inundated with water?

Misread your question orginally: The Brasavola was in a mangrove swamp on the Atlantic side. Tidal height variation there is minimal, typically only about 1'. So, while the area around the orchid may get wet, the orchid itself is normally dry.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Curtis2010

Misread your question orginally: The Brasavola was in a mangrove swamp on the Atlantic side. Tidal height variation there is minimal, typically only about 1'. So, while the area around the orchid may get wet, the orchid itself is normally dry.

Ah yes, that is the answer I was looking for! Thanks!

[Curtis2010]

A couple better close ups from a walk today.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

They are 2 different species of Habenarias.

[Curtis2010]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

They are 2 different species of Habenarias.

Yes, thats what I suspected.

I used to live in Belize, so its interesting to me how similar the flowers are to Prosthechea cochleata (national flower of Belize). At first I assumed they were some type of Prosthechea.

[Curtis2010]

A couple of new finds today. Many of the terrestials, except for the Habenarias, have shed their blooms...so today I was looking at other growth habits (trees, rocks...) and found a couple of new to me species in a tree. One is a micro orchid. Micros are common here in Chriqui at high altitude sites, but quite uncommon down here in the fields at 4,500'.

All within a few hundred meter walk from my house!