!Laelia speciosa (Kunth) Schltr. 1914 SUBGENUS Laelia SECTION Laelia Lindley Photo by © Lourens Grobler

Plant in situ in Mexico

Another in situ View in Mexico Photos by Weyman Bussey

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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]

This is a Mexican orchid of the central plateau and adjoining highlands as a cool to cold growing, small sized epiphyte with 1 to 2 leaves that is found in xerophytic conditions in open oak forests at elevations of 1400 to 2400 meters 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 ; The Orchids of Mexico and Guatemala Bateman 1843 as Laelia majalis drawing fide; Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1862 as Bletia praestans drawing; Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1862 as Bletia grandiflora; 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; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; AOS Bulletin Vol 37 No 12 1968 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;

Laelia speciosa (Kunth) Schltr. var alba 1914 subgen Laelia sec Laelia Lindley Photo by Weyman Bussey

A white version of the previous species.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 9 1963 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 37 No 12 1968 photo fide;

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