Ascocentrum... maybe? any id ideas?

[Magnus A]

Noooo, please do not go to the grower... wait for the flower and let the guessing continue

This kind of discusion is so rewarding as a novice to these like me can learn alot by reading pros and cons for differnt suggestions!
Though I know as a owner of some non identified species that you want to find out the answer ASAP.

/M

[smurphr]

don't worry, magnus, even if i find out what it is...i'll keep it a secret til it flowers ;-) that is, if these damned ants dont wreck things first!!! twice a day i have to wipe off a new nest of ants with their aphids... danged little asslickers!!!

[smurphr]

ok, all apologies to magnus, but does anyone want to know the answer?! it took quite a bit of research as the grower had no idea what to call it other than the local name... this one is in fact, as far as i know, only found in taiwan though i read that there one or two more located in s.e. asia... so WHO WANTS TO KNOW?!?!?!

[Halloamey]

So then Geoff was right ! It is some obscure species from Taiwan not common in cultivation. In that case I think it would be safe to reveal the identity as many won't be able to identify it even after it flowers.

[smurphr]

and the answer is..... Acampe rigida (taiwaniana) or 蕉蘭 (jiao lan) meaning banana orchid, which i believe has to do with the fact that the seed pods closely resemble young developing bananas... check it out, the flowers are not very large but they are very nice indeed!

[Halloamey]

Hmm, right under my nose hehe, just never seen one so small hehe, here is a link to my Acampe praemosa, expect very similar flowers. I really do not know why they are even different species?
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...praemorsa.html

[Dorsetman]

I have Acampe papillosa - absolutely delightful . Since I flowered it I have been on the lookout for more Acampe, but no luck so far.
I first saw Acampe in the wild on my first trip to the Thailand rain forests, when , after I spotted vandaceous plants (we were looking for V. Coeroulea) the leader said very dismissively, "that's only Acampe " and, younger and greener as I was, and not really into vandaceous plants at all, I understood that to mean that they were just worthless weeds. Now I am older and wiser , and make up my own mind, and small flowers no longer means worthless.

[catttan]

Acampe rigida? Actually quite common here in Malaysia. Sorry, Shane, Acampe is not one of my favourite orchids.

[smurphr]

Acampe rigida? Actually quite common here in Malaysia. Sorry, Shane, Acampe is not one of my favourite orchids.

i must admit, i was a little disappointed that it wasnt a vandopsis, was kinda looking forward to that, but with it being a mystery plant it has been fun doing the homework... now that i know what it is and having seen some pics from the wild, im fairly certain i have seen this growing on trees by the river we go swimming in... at the end of the day, it's a neat little plant that i didnt have before and now i do! i think i'm about to go scootering through the mountains to the river... maybe i'll spot some!

[smurphr]

was looking at some photos and realized i never posted any pics of the flowers... sorry i only have this one and its not such a great shot...