Laelia purpurata var. virginalis 'Campeã'
 

There are two famous white purpuratas here in Brazil, considered the best white ever found, 'Campeã' and 'Elias'. For many years they appeared in orchid shows as if they were two different clones, but it has been proved they are the same!
Btw, it is a common mistake calling 'alba' the white purpuratas. Veitch complicated things unnecessarily describing and calling 'alba' a purpurata flower with sepals and petals white, but lip with reddish/pink lines (flowers many times showed as var. gracicata, graciana, graciata and also var. schroederae are actually the Veitch's 'alba')

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/...239da00d_t.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/...cbf35d72_t.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/...ccc68285_t.jpg

Very nice! I once had a clone called 'Equilab'. It was supposed to be an alba, but the petals were very pale pink.

Talk about pristine!!! She's perfect!

I have decided to become a purpurata collector. I need more space.

Prepare yourself, Libo...!! This species has more than a hundred known varieties and once you get started with it.... there's no return!!:lol::lol:

So true, Mauro, so true....
I was so naive when I bought my first one .... and now six of them in a living room feels crazy little...
What I feel right now is that I NEED another beauty - var. virginalis
:rofl:

Fine choice, Gena!! It's a lovely flower!
Try to get 'Campeã' or 'Elias' (both names refer to the same clone), or a cross involving it, which is one of the best of this variety.

I found my plant! Seven times!!
 

I have to thank you for starting this thread. I always wanted a L. purpurata v. virginalis to grow so that when I get married one day that I could wear one of the flowers in my hair. However, no one seemed to be selling this variation. I came across this thread about a year or so ago and discovered that I should be looking for the Elias or Campea cultivar and that a named alba may be actually a virginalis. Well, recently on ebay, I found a seller that was selling a compot of containing L. purpurata v. alba 'Campea' seedlings. To make a long story short I won the auction at the last minute and the compot arrived yesterday evening. The seller was so kind as to throw in a additional seeding, so now I have seven plants!!

Good luck with your seedlings:)! The species is a vigorous grower and soon you'll have them mature!

Compot help
 

Unfortunately, I have had ZERO experience growing orchid community pots (compot). Can you help me?

Do I remove the sphagnum moss they are growing in immediately, when they reach the size of being in their own individual pot, or sometime in between?
If they stay in the sphagnum, how do I determine when they need to be watered?
How do their lighting conditions differ from adult laelia purpuratas? (I live in the Northern Central Florida area)