Cattleya bicolor
 

This is a "compact" plant, in a 30cm pot (the leading pbulb is "only" 50cm high, 75cm including the flowers). Each passing year, it produces more flowers and the leading pbulb is higher!

Nicely done, Frederico.

Kim

I like the faint dusting of spots and the way the plant grows nice and straight. Well done.

Those are really beautiful blooms, Frederico. But isn't that pot size rather larger for the plant? What type of material is it planted in?

Steve

beautifully grown, lovely flowers, good growing!

It is a beautifull bicolor var. grossii, Fred! Good work on that one!!!

Hi friends! Thanks!

Steve, about the size of the clay pot: it is difficult to find a clay pot for orchids of different shapes (rectangular, for example), then I use this round. In fact there is a lot of empty space around, as the plant grows straight only in one direction.
Mauro: I heard that this name "grossii" would be invalid, and that the right would be "ssp. minasgeraensis" for this variety. I do not have literature on bifoliate Catts, then I was "boiando" :dumb:! Do you know details?

Fred, in general it is accepted the division of bicolor in three sub-species: C. bicolor ssp. bicolor (the type), ssp. minasgeraisensis and ssp. brasiliensis.
Ssp. bicolor is found in Sao Paulo and Rio and has the poorer flowers compared to the others, with narrow segments (specially the lip) Cattleya bicolor Lindl. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

ssp. brasiliensis, found near Brasilia has characteristic dark brown petals and sepals and petals and a very broad lip, vividly colored. Cattleya bicolor Lindl. - var. brasiliensis on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

ssp minasgeraisensis found in Minas Gerais has broad floral segments, specially the petals, and is most likely made of tetraploid plants. Cattleya bicolor Lindl. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

All of these three sub-species have a common characteristic: the lip forming an square angle with the column (see the flower in the photo of ssp. minasgeraisensis).

Inside the population of minasgeraisensis there is a kind of flower that is a bit smaller and has not the lip curved down Cattleya bicolor (grossii) Lindl. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!. These flowers have the lip acompanying the general plan of the column. These are what some call var. grossii. these were once described as a separate species, Cattleya grossii, not accepted in the end.

So, you are right, grossii is inside the population of minasgeraisensis. But it could be pulled off to form possibly a fourth ssp (just my thought!!).

Hi Mauro!

Very clear and didactic, as usual! Thank you very much!
On another bifoliate Catt (C. velutina), the administrator of the Reserve returned yesterday from his vacation; I tried to contact him, but I couldn't (he doesn't stand in the office). Once I have something positive, I'll notice you!

Ok, let's wait then!:)