Laelia cinnabarina Bateman ex Lindl.
 

Laelia cinnabarina is a well-known rupicolous species. Many consider the plant shown here as var. cowanii. Some authors even tried to elevate it to the species rank. The flowers are a little smaller than common cinnabarina and so is the plant, but these minor differences alone are not enough, not even to rank it as variety. It perfectly fits within the normal variation of the species.

Laelia cinnabarina Bateman ex Lindl. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Wow, that orange is, well, really orange!! Very pretty, Mauro!

Ooooooooooooooooooooh....I just bought this one from Miranda Orchids!! I think it's in sheath, although I'm not entirely sure it will have a bud. I can't wait.

As always, your plants are beautiful. :) Thank you for sharing.

Wow! What a little fire cracker. I love it.

Kim

A lovely color!! Very striking! :)

Wow! I lov e orange sooo much. I'm dying to get one!

AARRRGHH!! Mauro, how you drive me wild with your rupicolous cuties. Simply gorgeous! Lovely little jewel. And orange is my all time favorite color.

Sorry, Yvan:lol:!

Please! Don't be sorry. It's a wonderful torment!

Those are ecotypes, Jan. The species has a large geographical distribution (for a rupicolous). It can be found in Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. Plants found in Espirito Santo are a little larger than those of Rio for example. In my opinion Laelia alvaroana and Laelia sanguiloba, for example, are nothing more than ecotypes, extreme forms of Laelia cinnabarina, the first with very small flowers, the second with a little more red in the lip. Of course these extreme ecotypes may deserve the species status.