dendrobium phalaenopsis name change?

[RosieC]

No, not all Laelias, because there was one I looked up the other day which was still Laelia.

This was Cattleya purpuratta which used to be Sophronitis and also used to Laelia but is now Cattleya. Don't know if it was just this one that changed or a group of them.

[Call_Me_Bob]

oh, so its not laelia purpurata is cattleya purpurata

[PaphMadMan]

Originally Posted by help

wait! so laelias are all cattleyas? i thought i heard that somewhere. so its cattleya anceps or cattleya purpurata or cattleya cinnabarum?

Not all... It is still Laelia anceps, along with the others most closely related to Laelia speciosa, the original Laelia. But Cattleya purpurata is correct, and C. cinnabarina, C. pumila, etc. It was determined that these are all far more closely related to Cattleya than to Laelia speciosa. All the former Sophronitis are Cattleya too. Of course, some former Cattleya are Guarianthe now.

[Call_Me_Bob]

im confused!

[PaphMadMan]

Originally Posted by help

im confused!

There is always one original species that is used to define a new genus. Laelia speciosa was the first Laelia. Cattleya labiata was the first Cattleya.

From that point on every other plant that was classified as Laelia should have been more closely related to Laelia speciosa than to any plant of any other genus. Every plant classified as Cattleya should have been more closely related to Cattleya labiata than to any plant of any other genus.

For most of the plants that ended up being called Laelia they got it wrong based primarily on a bad assumption about one physical characteristic used to determine the relationships. DNA analysis is now giving far more direct and abundant evidence of the real relationships, and a lot of corrections had to be made.

This doesn't explain every aspect of taxonomic controversy, but it covers the shift of many once-upon-a-time Laelia to Cattleya.

[Call_Me_Bob]

okay, i understand more clearly. so for instance, laelia purpurata is closer related to cattleya labiata than laelia speciosa

[WhiteRabbit]

In general - regarding the Laelia, Soph, Catt genera - Brazilian "Laelias" have been mmoved to Cattleya (after spending some time as Soph. (at least most of them I think, that includes purpurata)
The Mexican Laelias are still Laelia (this includes anceps)

This may not apply to all, but has been helpful for me to remember this way

as for the Den bigibbum - that's what I have always called it - tho it belongs to the phalaenthe section of Dendrobiums, so I will continue to call Dens from this section, Den-phal - unless the do get a genus name of their own lol

[Call_Me_Bob]

okay, thanks!!

[RosieC]

Cool thanks PaphMadMan and WhiteRabbit, I understand the reasons for the change now.

[Call_Me_Bob]

me too! i thought someone was just trying to confuse us! hehe