laelia division

[Frdemetr]

The Laelia names! An endless soap-opera! Blame it on DNA! I'll try to explain: the mexicans Laelia are aparted (and retain the name) from brazilian Laelias due DNA research, published by Van der Berg et al in 2000. Based in only in certain few DNA sequences this experts group (that included Dressler, a very very important researcher in orchids) concluded that brazilian Laelias would have to be annexed to Sophronitis genera, the older one in cattleya-alliance group that has 8 polen aggregates (cattleya has only 4). What a mess! Since then, several researches have attemped to put some order in caos, but I think in fact they have gotten worse what already was bad: Castro and Chiron (a brazilian and a french) divided the brazilian Laelias in several genera, than Hadrolaelia are the bigger ones (purpurata, lobata etc), Hoffmanseggella and Dungsia are the rupiculous and so on. For me and for many orchid lovers in Brazil and all over the world, Laelia is and will be forever Laelia, doesn't matter what name it receives!