Plexia laxa and Trichopilia turialbae
 

First, Plexia laxa (from Orquideas del Valle), a terrestrial. I had killed one of these previously, and mistreated this one very badly at first (I guess when you buy bare-root plants you should pot them up promptly, not leave them lying on the bench for a couple of weeks . . . duh!) and by the time I potted it there was only one sickly yellow leaf remaining, which it soon lost. But . . . it recovered nicely and is now doing very well. Hopefully the experience means that this is a tough plant. Small, unobtrusive blooms, but an interesting structure. I love the big, showy orchids but these smaller strange-looking blooms are fascinating (can’t get the wife interested thought, she wants her Catt’s and Phal’s and etc. and nothing else).

Next is a Trichopilia turialbae (also from Orquideas del Valle). I caught the tail-end of bloom on this, so it’s “going” and a little brown around the edges. I have several other Trichopilia, but this is one I’m not familiar with. It never seems to “open up” much, the non-lip petals and sepals just lay alongside the lip. It has bloomed several times and does this every time. If anyone is familiar with this species . . . is this the way it should bloom, or is mine being an odd-ball? All my others do “open up”, and I grow this in the same media, conditions, etc.

Ed

Turialbae usually is a little cupped and doesn't open fully, but yours looks a little severe. It may be just that clone, or more likely a cultural issue: humidity, temperature (cool) or other variable.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the opinion. All my other Trichopilia do just fine in exactly the same culture, but it seems that this one needs something different. Hard to find specific culture info for turialbae on the web, so I will just tinker with it (until I get it right or kill it, I guess).

Ed

Pelexia laxa :)

Spelling
 

Thanks "King" . . . good catch. I don't know why my brain tells my typing fingers what to do, but they never listen, Especially with PElexia laxa. (And I DO appreciate corrections on things like this).

Ed