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Ornithocephalus gladiatus (?)

Discussion in 'Orchid Species' started by pyrrhonota, Oct 3, 2011.

  1. pyrrhonota

    pyrrhonota Student

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    Location:
    Albany, CA
    There seems to be a lot of confusion about this genus. This plant is from Ecuagenera, labeled O. gladiatus, but it doesn't look to me much like the others posted here as gladiatus, nor does it match any of the other posts of this genus. I'm not a botanist, but I think my plant agrees most closely with the early descriptions I was able to find. As I understand it, O. gladiatus should have densely pilose roots; leaves distichous, each embracing the one above it by means of a cleft in its base, lanceolate-oblong, bluntish, slightly falcate, compressed, succulent, rather obtuse, slightly curved inwards, of a glaucous green colour; scapes glabrous, scarcely exceeding the leaves in length, at the extremity forming a raceme or lax spike of a few small flowers; each flower having a glabrous, clasping-deltoid bract at the base, and two or three others below upon the peduncle.

    http://www.botanicus.org/page/379854
    http://www.botanicus.org/page/708648
    http://www.botanicus.org/page/966612
    http://www.botanicus.org/page/1922133
    http://www.botanicus.org/page/137932
    http://www.botanicus.org/page/138016

    My flowers also seem to be larger and less crystalline and have more substance than the other two posted here. It's a cool genus and it would be more satisfying to have accurate IDs, but I'm just guessing here. What do you all think? Photos are from 25 Jan 2011.
    100_2068.jpg 100_2069.jpg 100_2072.jpg 100_2073.jpg
     
  2. KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Location:
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    I can't help with the i.d. but it is very nice.
     
  3. orchidnut57

    orchidnut57 Member

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    Location:
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    could it be inflexus?
    truely beautiful
     
  4. Tom-DE

    Tom-DE Well-Known Member Supporting Member

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    The plant and flowers don't look like O. inflexus...

    Your plant looks like the O. gladiatus I have but the flower looks a bit different. I also questioned the ID of my plant when it bloomed the first time, so...
    There are some incorrect infos/photos on internet...hopefully someone else here who knows this genus well will help you out.