Stanhopea deltoidea

According to Dr. Rudolf Jenny, this is "a very seldom seen and cultivated taxon, locally endemic in the Chanchamayo Valley in Perú... The flowers of Stanhopea deltoidea are usually red spotted on creamy or yellow ground with a dark red blotch on the hypochile base... Unfortunately, nothing is known about the fragrance composition and pollinator..."

The nearest related species is Stanhopea marizaiana, a species described in mid-2003.

.

Photos from Erica Morón de Abad, BiOrquidTropic Perú Lab.

According to Roque and León (2006), it's found in Junín Department, central Perú, at 1,450 m elevation.

.

.

R. Govaerts (2003) also lists this species for Bolivia.

.

.

In cultivation, grower Bruce Blyth noted that it grows as a medium-sized plant in a temperature range 50-90°F. The flowers do not have a noticeable fragrance, and "the petals fold backwards under the lateral sepals instead of over the dorsal sepal."

.

.

Printed References:

C. H. Dodson, G. P. Frymire (May 1961) "Preliminary Studies in the Genus Stanhopea (Orchidaceae)," in: Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 137-172.

R. Govaerts (21 February 2003) Computer printout of the monocot checklist, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. [lists 55 stanhopea species]

Rudolf Jenny (18 July 2003) "[Stanhopea marizaiana]," in: Die Orchidee (Hamburg) 54(2): 180 (179-182 [47-50]; fig. & photogrs.) [original publication].

Rudolf Jenny (August 2003) "Stanhopea marizaiana - a spectacular new species in the genus" in Orchids Australia 15(4): 22-25. [2 photos of Stan. deltoidea flowers, and 2 photos comparing the flower parts of Stan. deltoidea with Stan. marizaiana].

Rudolf Jenny (Dec. 2003) "The Genus Stanhopea. Part 1: S. anfracta to S. napoensis," in: Caesiana no. 21, Supplement. 200 color photos, 160 p., Italian/English, covers 32 species.

(Antoine) Charles Lemaire (1862) _____ in: Illustr. Hortic. ix., sub t. 340. [original publication; species originally attributed to Mexico!]

José Roque and Blanca León (December 2006) "Orchidaceae endemicas del Perú," in: Rev. Peru. Biol., 13(2): 759s-878s. Link: http://sisbib.unmsm.edu.pe/BVRevistas/biologia/v13n2/pdf/a145.pdf [Stanhopea deltoidea, greeri, haseloviana, manriquei, marizaiana, moliana, naurayi, nigripes, peruviana]

Web References:

International Plant Names Index [IPNI], www.ipni.org

Galería de Orquídeas Peruanas. Photos of Stanhopea deltoidea by Bruce W. Blyth: Side-front view of flower and Photo of back of lip.