Looking for information about Sophronitis miniata
 

While preparing an order, I came across this cute little primary hybrid. Sophronitis miniata x Laelia milleri

According to the info the vendor provides, it should be fine in my conditions, but I'll usually research the parents to learn more about their needs. What is puzzling is that I can hardly find anything about Sophronitis miniata, leading me to think that the name is wrong. However, according to a French forum this species was discovered in recent years, though some think it's a form of S. coccinea. Does anyone know anything about this plant?

I looked around, including the Kew checklist and Tropicos... and found nothing. Looked under Hoffmannsegella (which was one of the genera that was around for awhile) also nothing. I suspect that the species epithet didn't stick, not even enough to get listed as a synonym. So... maybe it's a new species, or likely a small variant of S. coccinea that did not survive the review of it as a separate species. All speculation, but this is what I found (or rather didn't find)

Yep...big zero on the findings here, too.

this is the only place I found selling it Colibri Orquideas - Sophronitis miniata

All it says is care is the same as for Sophronitis coccinea at the bottom.

It is coccinea sized but it has more yellow than a pure red coccinea

I've seen a few coccinea hybrids that look like that picture, for example this one Mini-Catts: Delightful Cattleyas in Miniature - Peter T. Lin - Diamond Orchids

so whether it is a coccinea, a new variety or a hybrid, the care will be identical...

Looks like a nice cross

I just ordered myself a potinara Free Spirit 'Miami Sun' from Lucke last week. They got some nice additions in this month

At one time I saw it in the sales booth of Floralia at a show... it got sold before I had a chance to buy one. So at one time, people in Brazil may have felt that they had found a new species... always good for sales (to not wait until an epithet is official). I suspect that a search of scholarly literature would turn up a paper that someone wrote, but proposed new species get vetted by the rest of the scholarly community. And it is not at all rare for one person's proposal to get overruled. I suspect that happened here. When a name is accepted and then others show that a species isn't really different, you end up with synonyms. But if it was not ever accepted in the first place, it doesn't even make the synonym list.

As far as color goes, S. coccinea has a yellow form (and various intermediat forms) , so even that is not an indicator of being something different.

There ARE cultural differences within the Sophronitis world... for instance, S. cernua tends to grow best a little warmer than S. coccinea. But differences are subtle. In the case of the primary hybrid suggested by the OP, the L.milleri probably imparts a bit more warmth-tolerance to make the hybrid a little less picky about temperature conditions. And still very red!

Nice choice! I purchased a Free Spirit, thinking it was a 'Laina', but the tag turned out to be incorrect. It is a Free Spirit ....... but not 'Laina' unfortunately. Still quite nice though ----- the flower from my orchid has some sort of hawaiian appearance hehehe

Google link pic - Rth. Free Spirit - no cultivar name

I've replaced the tag now. It is just Rth. Free Spirit now.


Very nice looking flowers from that link! Hopefully the vendor can help with providing some details about where they got it from, and more about miniata.

Sophronitis miniata also know as Sophronitis riograndense as far as I understood.

There are several brasilian sites with it for sale. It a recent discovered species.
Some cultural info here but in brasilian portuguese.

From Google translator:

Feature: Cattleya miniata Orchid
Author - Source: Team Floresbella

Sophronitis are small and delicate plants. Enchanted by the charm and delicacy.
It is a species recently discovered by Nagase in São José dos Ausentes in Rio Grande Do Sul, elevated on the border with São Joaquim in Santa Catarina in Brazil. They grow clinging to highland forest trees at 1000m altitude.


Cultivation, planting and care with the Cattleya miniata Orchid

They are the easiest to care for, they are plants that need to have their roots exposed, so the ideal is to keep them in bark of rough or porous woods never resinous (eucalyptus, rubber), these burn the roots with the expelled resin, but later fully dried and a boil can also be used.

Tie them in wooden bark (peroba, vellózia, even those from the trees felled on the streets by the city halls) without forgetting to fill the sides with sphagnum.

This tactic helps to keep the plant moist for a longer time allowing the emission of roots more easily to get into the cracks in the rough bark and hang your plant at 1.5 m or more in a place that does not have strong sun, but with good air circulation.
Another great way out is to keep it on a clay stick and keep track of how many times a month it should be filled, depending on the species.

Place a porous substrate in the pot, such as perlite, for example, and keep the dish always full of water (so that the plant is always moist). Perlite is a substrate that does not deteriorate, absorbs a lot of moisture, but prevents the plant from coming into direct contact with water, preventing the roots from becoming soaked and rotting.
In a short time he will create a green moss that lives in symbiosis with plants, the stone that was once white will gradually become greener.


Ideal climate for the Cattleya miniata Orchid

They need good humidity, a good circulation of air is necessary so that they stay away from fungi, bacteria and other pests that appear whenever the circulation becomes scarce, I use a fan in sunlight.
Ideal brightness for the Cattleya miniata Orchid
it does not tolerate places that are not well shaded (50 to 70%), it is good to keep it on a clay stick and never let it empty, it is the one that most needs moisture.
How to Water the Cattleya miniata Orchid
They are plants that need a lot of humidity, good air circulation, temperatures ranging from mild to cold, each in its own way.
They manage to survive in a soaked environment, but that in this way only guarantee the survival of the plant, not the flowering. There is no problem if the greenhouses are well shaded, even during 15 days without watering.

Rbarata, thanks for digging up that information! My next idea was to contact Mauro Rosim to see if he knows anything about the history of this orchid. And I think I'll be ordering the hybrid. I keep my growing area a bit warmer than it likes in the winter (according to the vendor) but my spare bedroom is cooler and also has a sunny wintersill.

There are also some photos in the web taken by Peter Lin. The name of the guy who discovered this species is Sebastião Nagase. You could try to find his contact and ask him directly (I'm sure Mauro knows him as he's one of the major names in orchid culture in Brasil).

Regarding brasilian orchids the best sources are always brasilian sites. There's always the language barrier but google translator is your friend :).
And brasilian guys are very friendly and always willing to help.

My previous investigations also ended up in concluding miniata = riograndensis like rbarata wrote, but I am still not sure about it.

Another species that is sold here is grandiflora which I question being a "new" species or not.