A look at Anguloa... x speciosa???

[Cach26]

Hello everyone, happy growing!

I want you to take a moment to look at this flower. From the outside, it looks like a Tognettiae, a very, very rare species of Anguloa.







Curiously, it is pure white, with a very light, barely distinguishable fragrance (contrary to the other species of the genus Anguloa), a very small and closed flower, everything would indicate that it is a Tognettiae by default!!



Now look at the dissected flower. Do you see anything strange? Even for an expert eye, it would be very difficult to notice any problems with this plant's ID.

However, as of today's May 26, 2025, research has revealed that this plant is a natural hybrid, Anguloa x speciosa. See the following comparisons


Left: Tognettiae by Oakeley
Right: My plant

According to Dr. Oakeley, Tognettiae (left) is very flat, thin, and lacks the "belly" on the labellum, nor does it have such a large base. Rather, Tognettiae is more like Uniflora, which has a very small base.


Collage
Above: Description of the Anguloa x speciosa lip
Below: Personal plant

The base of the Labellum is curved, thick and wide and belongs to its heritage from Virginalis. In this natural hybrid, the Dr. attaches several images of Labellus x Speciosa, which coincide with these previously written points.

I'd like to know your opinion on this matter. That simple curve, which isn't noticeable without dissecting the flower, could mean there may be many fake Tognettiae on the market.

I'll continue investigating, but the evidence suggests this plant is a natural hybrid strongly influenced by its Tognettiae ancestor.

I hope I can have the time to publish the growth cycle.

[Diane56Victor]

I don't have any experience of the intense study and knowledge that would be involved in making these distinctions but even I can see the difference in the areas you have mentioned.

A really interesting topic and I'm looking forward to reading more knowledgeable comments than mine.

[Cach26]

Hello, happy growing!

Yes, they're fairly easy to identify once you break, damage, or ruin the flower... by dissecting it XD

The problem is this:

1) Anguloas bloom once a year, along with their flowers. That is, each year there's only one multiple bloom. No one in their right mind would dare damage one of their precious flowers just to know if what the identification says is correct or not.

2) Other orchid species can be identified by the shape of their flower, for example, a Phrag Delassendroi is very easy to differentiate from a Bessae, whereas Anguloas are very mysterious in that regard. This one looked like a Tognettiae, and was xspeciosa XD

The only way to know the exact species is by looking at the Lip in profile. Anguloas are (colloquially) divided into three groups:

White Flowers
Yellow Flowers
Red Flowers

For example, the most difficult to identify are those with Red Flowers.

Brevilabris, Ruckerii, Hohenlohii... They are very similar, but have details in their lip, shape, color, and even texture.

Here is a very good article published by @aportebotanico about Anguloa Virginalis and its differences.

Aporte Botanico Boliviano | *Leer sobre las becas al final de la descripcion*

Un ejercicio didactico, aplicado a comprender mejor la clave dicotomica de Henry Oakeley... | Instagram

In my case, I use a clean, dry cutter, making a smooth, clean cut without any sudden movements.

I remove the petals and carefully apply cinnamon to the affected areas.

The flower remains as if nothing had happened. It's very nice when someone visits you and you say, "Hey, look how this flower moves!"