Plant ID please?

[Pconch]

I love this guy (sorry for poor pic quality) in the foreground. I really like the one on the log in the back also. Could anyone help me to learn more about them? A name would be a good start (they must be dendrobiums?). I can take more cell phone pics if it helps just ask. Thank you so much!

[Pconch]

I sort of regret not calling my thread "Giant Hamburger-eating orchid" but what can you do? How do you guys like my "hard grow" ?

[agarrat]

can you get a better picture of the flower.... so far your plants looks like a Cattleya type orchid

[prisana]

pconch...did you dig this one up or did you get it from the nursery ? . I've seen something similar of the dendrobium species type from New Guinea . Try orchid species encyclopedia website, I look in there all the time just for the heck of it. Yes, I like your "hard grow" seems it's working very well for you..

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The plant in the forground is a Myrmecophila, aka Schomburgkia, aka Laelia, from the Americas. The plant in the background is too far out of focus, too far awy and to obscured by other plant material.
http://home.nc.rr.com/myrmecophyte/myrmecophila.html
http://orquideas-katia.com/orquideas...ALAS/26027.htm
http://orquideas-katia.com/orquideas...OMB/SCHOMB.htm
In this last site, the plants marked as Schomburkias are not Myrmecophila, and have a different plant habit.

[agarrat]

my goodness, didn't even realize it two different plants. I should have noticed by the flowers... on the mark with the Schomburgkia plant...i let the flowers of the other plant confuss me... Cynthia, why can't i be lucky with help of my plant names

[Pconch]

I am very happy to know what I am dealing with and very impressed as well! I wonder how this cayman Islander made it's way here? I have added a better picture of the other (schomburkia?) It has been in a friends tree for quite a long time (+/- 20 yrs I would guess) By the way the kitten used to love wrestling and attacking this one causing most of those scars . Thanks again!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

This new picture is not of a Myrmecophila, but does look like it could be a Schomburgkia. Does this one have a label?

[Pconch]

Almost all of my plants are hand me down pieces from old-timer Floridians Like my grandfather. He used to collect and grow them with his father.

This plant has spent at the very least the last 20 years in a tree in a Miami Garden.

Old Grandaddy is gone now so he can't tell me about it but he used to travel extensively through central and south America and the Carribbean. I am just sort of wondering where he picked these guys up?

Happy Holidays everyone!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

It is very likely this is a species, if it is a Schomburkia. Any pictures of the blooms? If you have seen it in bloom, did it have a fairly long spike with a ball of flowers at the end? Do some googling on Schomburgkia.

[Pconch]

It's flowers were as these Guarianthe skinneri, or cattelya skinneri, purple. Mine only bloomthough, on about the first I will blame that on the cats, or perhaps no food or fertilizer.

They've a nice spot though.

I now officially recomend Guarianthe skinneri as a fine "hard grow" specimen.

This and some sterile coconut and duct tape and you'll be off to the races!

I never would have found the myrmecophila though. Thanks everyone!

Are these both cattelya type orchids? What gives with all the different names for these plants?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The splitters and the lumpers are forever having a tug of war. I would not generally accept a name change, as was done for Guariarhe, until it has stood the test of time, and a lot of time. Guarianthe is a genus of a single species, skinneri. This makes it a not very useful separation, and I think I have heard rumblings of objections to its use. Anyway, it is Cattleya skinneri for me. When it finally blooms again, post a picture and we will have a close look at it.