Myrmecophila sawyeri [Withner] in ed SUBGENUS Chaunoschomburgkia
Photo by © Eric Hunt
TYPE Drawing by © Eric Hunt
Common Name Sawyer's Myremecophila [American Orchid Enthusiast 1900's]
Flower Size 2.8 to 3.2" [7 to 8 cm]
Found in Guerrero and Morelos states of Mexico in the mountains on the Pacific coast at elevations around 1500 meters as a large sized, cool growing 10 to 12" [25 to 30 cm] tall, epiphyte with an elongate to 6" [15] cm] long, subfusiform, 3 noded, thick and longitudinally grooved, hollow pseudobulb carrying 2, rarely 1, apical, elliptic-oblong, obtuse, coriaceous leaves that blooms in the summer on a terminal, 5' 2" [1.5 meter] long, 3 to 20 flowered, racemose inflorescence.
Schweinfurth compared this species to M tibicinis a species from the Atlantic side of Mexico at relatively low elevations vs the Pacific side at much higher elevations in M sawyeri. M sawyeri has a smaller plant habit with smaller and differently shaped leaves, larger, much deeper colored flowers and a relatively very much larger mid-lobe of the lip and broader oblanceoalte petals that are attenuate to a very narrow base.
I have studied the drawing of Myrmecophila sawyeri and I am convinced that it represents a separate species or possibly a hybrid between Schomburgkia superbiens and Myrmecophila galeottiana , if so then It would have to be in a new intergeneric genus like x Schombophila sawyeri.
Synonyms Laelia sawyeri L.O.Williams 1943; Schomburgkia sawyeri Withner 1993
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
AOS Bulletin Vol 30 No 11 1961 drawing fide;
Orquideologia Vol 12 3/4 1977/8;
Cattleya and Their Relatives Vol 3 Withner 1990 photo fide;
Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 42 - 43 pg 2626 - 2762 Brieger 2001 ;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
