IOSPE PHOTOS

Bletia patula Graham 1836

Plants in flower in situ, Samana Dominican Republic

Plant in situ Samana Dominican Republic

Photos by © Jay Pfahl

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Common Name The Wide Open Bletia - Haitian Pine Pink

Flower Size 2 1/2" [6.25 cm]

Found in Cuba, Florida, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Leewards and the Windward Islands on cliffsides in dirt or lithophytically on rocks at elevations of 200 to 850 meters as a epi-lithophytic, medium to large sized, hot to warm growing species with squat, globose, ringed pseudobulbs carrying long, plicate, deciduous, lanceolate leaves that blooms in the late winter and spring with a basal, 3' [90 cm] long, erect inflorescence terminating in a lax, successively few to several flowered raceme arising from a leafless pseudobulb that carries up to 6 showy, fragrant flowers.

This orchid is quite common on roadside cuts through hills and as such has benefited by man's roadbuilding.

CAUTION!!!!!! See also B netzeri which may just be a variation of this orchid

Synonyms Bletia patula var alba Hawkes 1950; Bletia shepherdii Griseb. [non Hkr.]1866;

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Symbolae Antillanae Vol VI Orchidaceae Urban 1909; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 drawing fide; Flore Descriptive des Antilles Francaises H. Stehle 1939; Orchids of Malaya Holtum 1953; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; The Native Orchids of Florida Luer 1972 drawing/photo fide; Flora of the Lesser Antilles Ochidaceae Garay & Sweet 1974; Die Orchideen 3 Auflage Bd 1 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Lieferung 15 881 - 944 Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1984; The Orchids of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Ackerman 1992 drawing fide; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1993; An Orchid Flora Of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Ackerman 1995 drawing fide; The Orchids of Cuba Llamacho 2005 photo fide; Orchidaceae Antillanae Nir 2000; Orchid Flora of the Greater Antillies Ackerman 2014 drawing fide; AOSL Bulletin Vol 85 #3 2016 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 88 #2 2019 as B patula var alba photo fide;

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