Bletia florida R Br. 1796 Photo by © Jean Claude George

to THROUGH

Common Name The Flowery Bletia

Flower Size 1 1/2" [3.75 cm]

Found in Colombia, Cuba and Jamaica as a medium sized, hot to warm growing terrestrial with subglobose, transversly annulate above pseudobulbs carrying a few, linear to lanceolate, long-acuminate, basally gradually attenuate below leaves that blooms in the winter through spring on an erect, to 32" to 36" [80 to 90 cm] long, laxly many flowered inflorescence with triangular-linear, acute floral bracts and carrying in the upper 1/3, showy, successive opening flowers that are very long lasting.

Synonyms Bletia shepherdii Hook. 1834; Bletilla florida (Salisb.) Rchb.f. 1853; Cymbidium floridum Salisb. 1796; Gyas florida Salisb. 1812; Limodorum floridum Salisb. 1796; Thiebautia nervosa Colla 1824

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1854 as Blesia florida; Symbolae Antillanae Vol VI Orchidaceae Urban 1909; Flora of Jamaica Fawcett & Rendle 1910 drawing fide; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 as B shepherdii drawing good; Native Orchids of Trinidad Schultes 1960; Die Orchideen 3 Auflage Bd 1 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Lieferung 15 881 - 944 Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1984; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1987; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1993 as B purpurea; Orchids of Jamaica Gloudon & Tobisch 1995 photo fide; Orchidaceae Antillanae Nir 2000; Orchid Flora of the Greater Antillies Ackerman 2014; AOS Bulletin Vol 84 #4 2015 drawing fide;

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------