Re: Re: P. caudata (as was...)

John Taylor [The Banshee] (rphjt@minyos.xx.rmit.EDU.AU)
Sat, 5 Mar 94 20:31:55 DST

>I know that ``P.caudata'' and ``P.mexicana'' have been absorbed into
>_P.moranensis_, so I consider the first two names to just indicate
>variants that have been in cultivation. That said, there is a nice
>description of these two forms in Slack's first book, where he writes
>extensively on them on page 116. There is also a photo of the two
>plants on page 106. A few things to look for: Of the three lower petals
>of the ``Mexicana'' type, the two that flank the central lower petal are
>often narrow and pointed. The ``Caudata'' type has these petals truncate.
>The central bottom petal for ``Caudata'' is often emarginate. Also, there
>are richer, more saturated flecks of carmine pink at the base of the
>petals of ``Caudata''. I have a _P.moranensis_ that fits the ``Caudata''
>description exactly.

Well, that sounds pretty much like this "caudata" - the lower (central)
petal has a "notch" in it (more like a curvy W - "emarginate"...) and
the outer lower petals are rounded/oblong? (like slightly narrower
versions of the upper petals - almost no difference in size at first
glance). In addition to the typical white markings, there are dark
markings which have the effect of dividing the white patch into two
stripes (on each petal), as well as bordering them (it's a bit more
complicated than that, but you get the idea). The spur is quite amazing
in it's length - it sticks out the back of the flower and about half way
along in bends downwards - total length of it is about 1 3/4" (the
flower's only a bit over an inch top-bottom). It reminds me of Darwin's
orchid (whose name escapes me) with the 12" "spur" (and it's pollinator
- the moth with the foot-long tongue)... There are also "wings/lobes"
on the spur for about the first 1/2" sticking out the side (I've never
noticed these on my other Pinguics). Also, the "lip" above the beard
area (which isn't particularly hairy, but there are some white hairs
there) is pink/purple - those on my x"Sethos" flowers are white. The
leaves are more spathulate/oblong than the moranensis x ehlersae hybrid
I've got (which look just like x"Sethos" in Slack's book - in fact Fred
Howell sold them to me as "Sethos").

BFN

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| John Taylor [The Banshee] | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
| rphjt@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au | Department of Applied Physics |
| MOKING IS A HEALTH HAZARD. | Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA |
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