!Psychopsis papilio [Lindley]H.G.Jones 1975 Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

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Common Name The Butterfly Psychopsis

Flower Size 5 to 6" [12.5 to 15 cm]

A medium sized, hot to warm growing, epiphytic species found in Trinidad & Tobago, Panama, French Guiana, Surinam, Venezuela, Colombia and Northern Brazil in lower montane forests, with flat, round, bilaterally compressed, brown, wrinkled psuedobulbs mottled with red blotches and carrying a single, apical, rigidly erect, oblong to oblong-elliptic, obtuse, dark green mottled with purple or red leaf that produces single flowers from a basal, 2 to 5 foot [60 to 120 cm] long, successive opening spike that has triangular bracts and can flower for years if left alone so do not cut them as they can alos produce plantlets. I find that they prefer shady humid well watered conditions, but not to be kept too wet in the winter as the new growths will damp off with fungus.

Synonyms *Oncidium papilio Lindley 1825; Psychopsis papilio var. albiflora (Rchb.f. ex Lindl.) Lückel & Jenny 1999; Psychopsis picta Raf. 1838

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Symbolae Antillanae Vol VI Orchidaceae Urban 1909 as Oncidium papilio; AOS Bulletin Vol 26 No 4 1957 as Oncidum papilio; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 7 1958 drawing as Oncidium papilio; Native Orchids of Trinidad Schultes 1960; Venezuelan Orchids Vol 2 Dunsterville & Garay 1961 as Oncidium papilio; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 10 1963; Flora de Venezuela Foldats Volumen XV Part 5 1970 as Oncidium papilio; Orquideologia Vol 12 No 1 1977 as Oncidium papilio; Orquideologia VOl 14 No 1 1979 as Oncidium papilio; AOS Bulletin Vol 51 No 9 1982 photo as Oncidium papilio; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 8 1985 as Oncidium papilio; AOS Bulletin Vol 56 No 3 1987 photo as Oncidium papilio; AOS Bulletin No 63 No 11 1994 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 66 No 8 1997 photo as Oncidium papillio; AOS Bulletin Vol 67 No 6 1998 ; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 6 COS 1998; Australian Orchid Review Vol 67 No 3 2002 drawing; AOS Bulletin Vol 71 No 2 2002 photo; The Pictoral Encyclopedia of Oncidium Zelenko 2002; AOS Bulletin Vol 75 No 9 2006 photo; Orchid Species Culture: Oncidium, Bakers 2006; AOS Bulletin Vol 76 No 3 2007 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 77 No 8 2008 drawing; AOS Bulletin Vol 78 No 1 2009 photo; Orchid Digest Vol 73 #1 2009 drawing; Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko & Bermudez 2009 photo fide

Psychopsis papilio [Lindley]H.G.Jones 1975 var alba Photo courtesy of Sandra Wawrzyniak and www.orchidmania.pl

A color form of the previous species.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 78 No 1 2009 photo; Orchid Species of Peru Zelenko & Bermudez 2009 photo fide as P papillio var flava

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