Sophronitis wittigiana vs. brevipedunculata - Orchid Board

Bayard · #1 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 08:22 PM

Purchased some years ago as Sophronitis (now Cattleya) wittigiana. I was expecting pink flowers! I've since learned that there is a range of color in S. wittigiana that can include Orange. Every time this blooms I wonder if it is really S. brevipedunculata, but are the flower stalks (peduncles) short enough?

elermore · #2 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 09:36 PM

[quote=Bayard;266502]Purchased some years ago as Sophronitis (now Cattleya) wittigiana. I was expecting pink flowers! I've since learned that there is a range of color in S. wittigiana that can include Orange. Every time this blooms I wonder if it is really S. brevipedunculata, but are the flower stalks (peduncles) short enough?

[/QUO
I think you will find this plant is brevinpendunculata regards elermore

ericst11 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 10:46 PM

Those look great how big are the flower on that plant.

Bayard · #4 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 11:28 PM

ericst11 - The largest flower is around 7cm/3inches across. See my post on Blc. George King, etc. to get an idea of the size compared to standard Cattleyas.

Rosim_in_BR · #5 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009, 07:27 AM

It is not easy separating these two based on a photo, Bayard, so I'm not really sure about your plant. The flower seems to be S. brevipedunculata, but the plant seems not. S. brevipedunculata has short plants, globose, tightly aggregate p-bulbs and very thick leaves (here's a good example of the average plant in nature http://www.orchidspecies.com/orphotd...edunculata.jpg). The species name refers to the short peduncle, the portion of the flower stalk between the p-bulb and the ovary (the long ovary is sometimes misinterpreted as being the peduncle).
Hope that helps.