~Calanthe mexicana Rchb. f. 1844 - See Calanthe calanthoides (A.Rich. & Galeotti) Hamer & Garay 1974 Photo courtesy of Carl Withner.

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Common Name The Mexican Calanthe

Flower Size 5/8" [1.5 cm]

Found in Mexico and Guatemala as a warm to cold growing terrestrial in cold shady habitats in montane and lower montane forests at elevations of 1750 to 2600 meters with light green corms enveloped by sheaths of the leaves and foliaceous bracts with oblong-elliptic, acute to acuminate, plicate, prominently veined leaves that is conduplicate at the base into a conspicuous petiole and blooms in the spring on a terminal, 2'4" [70 cm] long, erect, many flowered inflorescence that is as long or longer than the leaves and subtended by conspicuous, acute to acuminate bracts. The plant turns blue if damaged or brusied..

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