Volcan Barú, Panama Orchids

[Curtis2010]

Went hiking on Volcan Barú in Panama today, beautiful, plus some orchids were blooming (more that were not).

[Dollythehun]

Very beautiful. Thank you for posting.

[Bohata]

What kinds are they? The first looks like a Lemboglossum (pics. 1&2), the other may be Encyclia brassavolae. Am I correct?

[isurus79]

Very cool! I'm especially interested in the second photo's species. What is it?

What is the climate like in this area?

[Curtis2010]

A few more from a recent hike. Have not ID'ed yet, but hope to get to that soon. Suggestions welcome.

[Curtis2010]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Very cool! I'm especially interested in the second photo's species. What is it?

What is the climate like in this area?

Sorry for the super delayed response. Havent been on here in a while.

Climate at the original set of pics, below the summit of Volcan Barú at probably 7,500 feet, is cool and moist, cloud forest like, but still in the tropics so lots of hours of light. Quite chilly at night, but above freezing (gets to freezing at summit).

Second set posted today at about 4,500', but on the lahar from the volcano which forms a large plain. Still cool and moist most of the time, but gets very dry in dry season. Also very rocky.

---------- Post added at 06:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:33 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Bohata

What kinds are they? The first looks like a Lemboglossum (pics. 1&2), the other may be Encyclia brassavolae. Am I correct?

I never got around to positively IDing those, but agree the first certainly looks like some type of Lemboglossum. The second picture (all white flowers) unfortunately was not very clear. The last two do look very brassavolae like.

[Curtis2010]

And another one today. Looks Sobrallia like to me.

[Curtis2010]

More re climate/habitat. The attached pic shows the habitats of all the orchids Ive posted so far on this thread. In the distance you can see Volcan Barú, its summit mostly hidden in the clouds. In the foreground is a large plain created by the pyroplastic flow/lahar from the last eruption about 500 years ago. This flow covers many square miles and extends almost to the Pacific ocean...a 1.5 hour drive away! Some orchids are in the lower foreground.

The first orchids posted were found about 1.5 km from the summit. The remainder down on the plain.

[Curtis2010]

Speaking of habitats, I was just on the Atlantic coast near Puerto Lindo and took the attached pic (Brasovola?) in a mangrove swamp. Its not related to Volcan Baru, but it does show the wide range of orchid habitats in Panama.

[isurus79]

That's pretty cool! Does it get inundated with water?