Coelogyne mossiae Rolfe 1894 SECTION Lentiginosae Pfitzer & KraenzlinPhoto by © Kalyan Varma and his Kerala Wildlife Website

Common Name Mrs. Moss' Coelogyne [English Orchid Enthusiast 1800's]

Flower Size 2 1/2" [6.25 cm]

Found in southern India in subtropical, montane forests at elevations of 2300 to 2700 meters near vertical limestone rocks as a small sized, cold growing epiphyte or lithophyte with clustered, ovate, ridged pseudobulbs carrying 2, apical, linear-oblong, plicate, 5 to 7 nerved, acute, gradually narrowing below into the short petiolate base leaves that blooms in the spring and summer on a terminal, arcuate to pendant, about 9.6" [24 cm] long, racemose, 8 to 10 flowered inflorescence arising on a newly emerging pseudobulb growth with deciduous floral bracts and simultaneously opening, fragrant flowers.

CAUTION; this species is scarce and according to a personal comment from Eric Christenson almost all photos on the net are of hybrids either C Unchained Melody or C Intermedia. I use this one as it is growing in nature but still I cannot be sure of it's veracity. I await further information.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 5 1963; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Indian Orchids, Guide to Identification and Culture vol 2 Pradhan 1979 drawing fide; Orchids of Nilgiris Joseph 1987 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 63 No 10 1994; The Genus Coelogyne A Synopsis, D A Clayton 2002 photo hmm; Orchid Digest Vol 72 #1 2008 drawing fide; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007; Les Coelogynes E & J George 2011 photo fide;

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