Orchids of (mt) Roraima

[Johnvdw]

Dear all,

Recently I have visited the illusive Mount Roraima, one of Venezuela table mountains (Tepuis). On my way to the mountain and at the mountain plateau I have found many amazing plants including 20-25 orchid species. By this forum I would like to share some of my pictures and hopefully you can be of help to identify some of the orchids. Next to the beautiful plants there were also stunning views on steep cliffs and some of the highest waterfalls of the world.

In the lowlands (the Gran Sabana), near a small river I found this beauty: Otostylis lepida (probably)


A little higher up (ca 1300 m ASL), in the grassland I stubled across this big terrestial orchid


Close to the Mt Roraima base, in more humid environment a Koellensteinia orchid was growing. Initially I identified it as K. kellneriana but this one seems to be slightly different: it has greenish flowers (not white), the stripy pattern extends further into the "throath" at the lower lip and there are leaf like structures underneath every flower.


In the same area a Habernaria (?) was growing:

At the edge of the cloudforest: Galleotia burkei


In the cloudforest several Maxillaria orchids like this one were flowering (sorry for the photo quality). Another species was completely yellow/green of color.


Also in the cloudforest:
IMG_0581.jpg picture by werfj - Photobucket

Epidendrum secundum: One of the most abundant orchids at the plateau (but also in the cloudforest), present in colors from white via pink to red.


Another Epidendrum (E. imthurmii)


And yet another (unidentified) Epidendrum


The largest individual orchid flower I have seen at the plateau: Maxillaria quelchii


From the largest to the smallest: a tiny litophytic, unidentified, orchid growing at the cliff's edge (a few cm's further was a drop of a few 100 meters:


Hope you enjoyed

John

[Johnvdw]

A few pictures more. A small explanation: the trip started with a few days walking through the Gran Sabana (the relatively flat grasslands, crossed by a few, mainly small, rivers with some forest). In the Gran Sabana you had a great view on several Tepuis. After 2 days walking (1000-1800m ASL) we came at the base of Mt Roraima, the steep slopes are covered with cloudforest. The top of Mt Roraima is relatively flat with stunning rockformations and some deep gorges, the highest point is at 2772 meters.

On the way up in the cloudforest, several Pleurothallis species were growing :


and:


Is suspect this is Stelis sp. It was one of the less conspicious orchids present in the cloudforest


A less nice picture of a very nice orchid in the cloud forest: Masdevallia picturata


A more colorfull Epidendrum violascens at the summit plateau:


About this fellow, also growing at the plateau I am not sure whether it is an orchid or not, though it is a nice one:


Another questionmark, now from the cloudforest:


That is about it. I have a few orchid pictures more, but they are mainly blurry, even worse than this one (from one of the marshes near the base of Roraima (ca 1700 m).


Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed. Comments are always welcome.

John

[gnathaniel]

Awesome, John, thanks for sharing! The last picture in your first post looks like a Pleurothallis of section Brachystachyae. Look at pictures of Pleuro. johannensis or Pleuro. teres for examples of other lithophytic succulent-leaved Pleuros.

That must be an incredible place! Do you have any pictures of the general scenery?

--Nat

[lepanthes89]

Third from last is prob. an Octomeria sp.,then ,2nd from last a Stelis sp.(in bud).
By the way was Mary Gerritsen on the same trip?
She posted pics on Picasa.
Wouldnt that be a coincidence.!!!!!
Spiro

[flhiker]

Wow such variety. Thanks for posting, another place to put on the list.

[prem]

Very cool...thanks for sharing!

[WhiteRabbit]

wow! that's fabulous - how exciting for you to see these! thanks so much for sharing your photos!

[nenella]

Super! thanks for posting.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

They are great in-situ shots! Very valuable stuff to see.

The last photo in the 1st set of pics could also quite possibly be a lithophytic Masdevallia or it could be a lithophytic Pleurothallis; but I'm leaning more towards the possibility of it being a lithophytic Masdevallia.

The pic in the second photo is not very clear, so I can't nail it down for certain, but I think it could be a Cyrtochilum. It's definitely an Oncidium relative though.

[Johnvdw]

Thanks for all your positive reactions.
For the litophytic Pleurothallis/Masdevallia: I am not an expert at all, but isn't it very unusual for both genera to grow in full sun? Based on the flower I was thinking of Masdevallia but I was in doubt because of the for this genus unusual niche it is growing.

For the second picture Cyrtochilum was the best match I have found, the difference with other species of the genus is that the edges of the lower lip are pointing downwards in stead of upwards. Bit this might just be an exeption to the rule.

The red unopened flower might indeed be Stelis sp. Unfortunately I have not been able to get it identified to the species level.

Mary Gerritsen was not on the same trip, I will have a look at her pictures. When I was on the mountain there were several groups more present.

Indeed it was a large diversity of orchids and probably I missed a few. I understood that it wasn't even the best period for orchids....
Another one (Epistiphium) if I am right. Most of this tall species were just over the top.


A few scenery (and other shots) are on an other forum:
Some more pics from Mt Roraima - Carnivorous Plants UK