!Laelia speciosa (Kunth) Schltr. 1914 SUBGENUS Laelia SECTION Laelia Lindley
Photo by © Lourens Grobler
Another in situ View in Mexico
Laelia speciosa (Kunth) Schltr. var alba 1914
Photos by Weyman Bussey
Drawing by Roberto González T.
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Common Name May-flowered or Showy Laelia or in Mexico - Flor de Mayo - Flor de Todos Santos
Flower Size to 8" [to 20 cm]
Found i Mexico in xerophytic conditions in open oak forests at elevations of 1400 to 2400 meters on the central plateau and adjoining highlands as a cool to cold growing, small sized epiphyte with 1 to 2 leaves with subglobose to ovoid, rugose pseudobulbs carrying 1 to 2 lanceolate-elliptic, acute, coriaceous-fleshy, green suffused with purple, basally clasping leaves that blooms in the spring and summer with an apical, 5 to 6" [12 to 15 cm] long inflorescence which arises from a newly developing pseudobulb and carries 1 to occasionally 4, fragrant flowers.
This is a very drought resistant plant and as such should be given a drier environment in general and a definite dry winter rest.
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 autumnalis. 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 tortillas. 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 effect.
Synonyms Amalia grandiflora (Lex.) Heynh. 1846; Amalia majalis (Lindl.) Heynh. 1846; Bletia grandiflora La Llave & Lex. 1825; Bletia speciosa Kunth 1816; Cattleya grahami Lindley 1833; Cattleya majalis [Lindl.]Beer 1854; Laelia grandiflora (La Llave & Lex.) Lindl. 1831; Laelia grandiflora var. alba Dimmock 1901; Laelia majalis Lindley 1839
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 342 HBK 1816 as Bletia speciosa;
Nov. Veg. Descr. 2(Orchid. Opusc.): 17 Llave & Lex 1825 as Bletia grandiflora;
Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 115 Lindley 1831 as Laelia grandiflora;
Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 116 Lindl. 1833 as Cattleya grahamii;
Edwards's Bot. Reg. 25(Misc.): 35 Lindley 1839 as L majalis
The Orchids of Mexico and Guatemala Bateman 1843 as Laelia majalis
The Orchids of Mexico and Guatemala Bateman 1843 as Laelia majalis drawing fide;
Alph. Aufz. Gew.: 29 Heynh 1846 as Amalia grandiflora;
Alph. Aufz. Gew.: 29 Heynh 1846 as Amalia majalis;
Prakt. Stud. Orchid.: 212 Beer 1854 as Cattleya majalis;
Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1862 as Bletia grandiflora;
Amer. Gardening 22: 398 Dimmock 1901 as L grandiflora var alba
* Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915;
Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 L grandiflora drawing fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 11 1958 photo fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 2 1959;
AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 5 1959;
AOS Bulletin Vol 30 No 9 1961;
AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 9 1963 photo fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 9 1963 as L speciosa var alba photo;
Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965;
AOS Bulletin Vol 37 No 12 1968 photo fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 37 No 12 1968 as L speciosa var alba photo fide;
Die Orchideen 3 Auflage Bd 1 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Lieferung 10 576 - 632 Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1977; Orchid Digest Vol 42 No 1 1978 photo fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 47 No 6 1978;
Flora Novo-Galaciana Vol 16 McVaugh 1985;
An Introdution to the Orchids of Mexico Wiard 1987 photo fide;
Cattleya and Their Relatives Vol 2 Withner 1990 photo fide;
Icones Orchidacearum I Plate 52 Hagsater 1990 drawing fide;
Laelia in Mexico ORQUIDEA (MEX.) 15. OCTOBER 1997 drawing/photo fide;
Mille et Une Mini Orchideees Roguenant 2009 photo fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 86 # 1 2017 photo fide;
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