IOSPE PHOTOS

Laelia autumnalis Lindl. 1831 SUBGENUS Laelia SECTION Podolaelia Schlechter

Photo by © Lourens Grobler

Plant and flowers

Photo by Weyman Bussey

Plant and Flowers in situ as a lithophyte, central Mexico

Plant and Flowers in situ as an epiphyte, central Mexico

Photos by Edouard Faria

Drawing

Drawing by Bateman

Laelia autumnalis f. atrorubens (Backh.f.) Halb. 1993

Photo by Robert Weyman Bussey

Laelia autumnalis var gouldiana Lindley 1831

Photo courtesy of Linda's Orchid Page

Laelia autumnalis var. xanthotrophis Rchb.f. 1888

Photo by Jay Pfahl

Laelia autumnalis Pink variety 1831

Photo by Robert Weyman Bussey

and

Common Name The Autumn Flowering Laelia - In Mexico - Flor de los Muertos

Flower Size 3 to 4" [7.5 to 10 cm]

Found in Mexico in the central to southern mountains at elevations of 1500 to 2600 meters as a small to medium sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte or lithophyte, found on scrubby oaks and mossy rocks with bright light, a winter dormancy and night coolness with 2 to 3, leathery, lanceolate leaves per ovoid, subconical, to pyriform, tapering, curved, ridged and furrowed pseudobulbs that blooms in the fall and winter in cultivation on an erect, stout, red colored, 2 to 3' [60 to 90 cm] long, apical, covered with scale-like floral bracts, several to many flowered inflorescence with fragrant, waxy, long-lasting, color variable flowers.

L x gouldiana [a natural hybrid between L anceps and L autumnalis] and L autumnalis var gouldiana are certainly different although at first glance they appear the same. L goudiana has brighter colored flowers and a different lip shape but what sets the 2 species apart the most is the 3 calli of the lip. On L gouldiana the three calli are actually a flat, 3 striped raised plain and in L autumnalis the three calli are three raised ridge lines.

The villagers of the central highlands of Mexico on the 1st and second of November celebrate All Saint's Day and the Day of the Dead. On these days many families make small candy images of pigs, cows, horses, skulls, fruit and other familiar objects created from the pseudobulbs of this species and Laelia speciosa. It is an ancient process handed down through the generations. The pseudobulbs are sliced into thin pieces that are then ground in the same way as flour and corn for totillas. The ensuing green, mucilaginous paste is mixed with water, flour, sugar, lemon juice and egg white and then let to sit for several days. At the proper time it is poured into wooden half molds, the 2 halves are removed and pasted together and then decorated and painted with vegetable dyes to give the desired look.

Laelia autumnalis var. xanthotrophis Rchb.f. 1888 is found in Jalisco Mexico and blooms in the early summer on a 18" [45 cm] long, successively single flowered inflorescence. It is similar to autumnalis but blooms way before, almost the same season as eyermanniana. It grows in another valley in Jalisco about 100 miles from crawshayana (bancalari).

Synonyms Amalia autumnalis (Lex.) Heynh. 1846; Bletia autumnalis [Lindley]Rchb.f 1825; Cattleya autumnalis Beer 1854; Laelia autumnalis alba Rchb.f. 1889; Laelia autumnalis f. alba (Rchb.f.) M.Wolff & O.Gruss 2007; Laelia autumnalis f. atrorubens (Backh.f.) Halb. 1993; Laelia autumnalis f. xanthotrophis (Rchb.f.) Halb. & Soto Arenas 1997; Laelia autumnalis var. alba (Rchb.f.) B.S.Williams 1893; Laelia autumnalis var. atrorubens Backh.f. 1880; Laelia autumnalis var. venusta auct. 1884; Laelia autumnalis var. xanthotrophis Rchb.f. 1888; Laelia venusta Rolfe 1895

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

*Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 115 Lindley 1831

Nov. Veg. Descr. 2(Orchid. Opusc.): 19 Lex. 1825 as Bletia autumnalis;

The Orchids of Mexico and Guatemala Bateman 1843

The Orchids of Mexico and Guatemala Bateman 1843 drawing fide;

Alph. Aufz. Gew.: 29 Heynh. 1846 as Amalia autumnalis;

Prakt. Stud. Orchid.: 208 Beer 1854 as Cattleya autumnalis;

Bonplandia Rchb.f 1856;

Ann. Bot. Syst. 6: 427 Rchb.f 1862 as Bletia autumnalis;

Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1862 as Bletia autumnalis;

Garden (London, 1871-1927) 17: 368 Backhouse 1880 as L autumnalis var atrorubens;

Garden (London, 1871-1927) 25: 366, Anon 1884 as L autumnalis var venusta;