Prosthechea mariae

[gilfaethwy]

Hey there, what a gorgeous plant! This is one of my favorite species as well; many have called it perhaps the loveliest orchid of all. Though I don't agree with it being lumped into the genus Prosthechea. I deem that that name is for species with narrow unlobed or diamond-shaped , thick, significantly adnate lips and bilaterally compressed pseudobulbs like P. brassavolae, P. vespa, P. boothiana, P. vitellina... (although P. vitellina arguably might deserve its own monotypic genus). I use the genus name Anacheilium for the "cockleshell" species like cochleatum, fragrans, radiatum, and such. For this species I either retain it in Encyclia or use Withner's genus: Euchile: Euchile mariae and Euchile citrina. (Yes, I am a splitter not a lumper, despite the latter being the current taxonomic fashion!). But truth to tell, and structural taxonomy aside, the name Prosthechea is just too ugly for these two exquisite species (it sounds like the sound one makes when one has swallowed a bug); Euchile is better (and probably the correct taxonomy), but for this exquisite species I still prefer the much prettier name Encyclia mariae. Happy growing!

[Arne]

Thanks.
Yes it also one of my absolute favorites. I didn’t post it last year when it actually had 12 flowers. BUT this year it will have about 18 flowers (in a month or so) so I hope I can post it here then.
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[Silvix]

beautiful!

[Arne]

Thanks but did you see my most recent post with this plant? This time I decided to have it as Encyclia mariae:
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ia-mariae.html
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[gilfaethwy]

Hey there! Thanks for the new posting-- what a magnificent plant, beautifully grown! A fine exemplar of this gorgeous species... such elegance and serene beauty! And indeed, I think that among its various names Encyclia mariae is the most appropriately lovely.