Stanhopea ruckeri

Lindley 1843

Native to Mexico and Nicaragua

Edited 16 May 2007
© Nina Rach


Stanhopea ruckeri photo needed

Stanhopea ruckeri Lindley 1843

In his 1963 article, "The Mexican Stanhopeas," Calaway Dodson suggested that Stanhopea x ruckeri was a natural hybrid of Stanhopea oculata and Stanhopea wardii. He writes:
"A specimen at the British Museum, labeled Stanhopea ruckeri by Lindley, contains two inflorescences, one of S. oculata and the other of an intermediate between S. wardii and S. oculata. Since we are left with a large group of variable hybrids between S. oculata and S. wardii and have no name to apply to them, it might be a reasonable approach to apply the name "Stanhopea X ruckeri" to the whole group, keeping in mind that the name must cover a "multitude of sins" and does not apply to a particular kind of Stanhopea."
Curious writing.

Also published in Orchids Australia, Volume 12, No. 4, August 2000:
"The mystery surrounding Stanhopea ruckeri. Roger Kramer has written many articles for us over the years on the genus Stanhopea. This species is only relatively new in cultivation even though it was described in 1843. However, there seems to be some confusion as to what is and what is not Stanhopea ruckeri."

Tissue cultured material of Stanhopea (ruckeri x intermedia) is available from Cevie in Belgium.


Printed References:

Kenneth J. Curry, Lorraine M. McDowell, Walter S. Judd, & William Louis Stern (May 1991) "Osmophores, Floral Features, and Systematics of Stanhopea (Orchidaceae)," in: American Journal of Botany 78(5): 610-623. "The floral fragrance glands (osmophores) of 18 species of Stanhopea and Sievekingia were examined through a series of developmental studies at light and electron microscope levels including late bud stages through postanthesis." [Sievekingia; Stanhopea anfracta, annulata, candida, ecornuta, gibbosa, martiana, oculata, pulla, radiosa, ruckeri, saccata, shuttleworthii, tigrina, vasquezii, and wardii] Link to abstract: http://www.botany.org/ajb/00029122_di001922.php

Calaway H. Dodson (Feb. 1963) "The Mexican Stanhopeas," in: American Orchid Society Bulletin 32(2): 115-129. [includes a B&W photo and a distribution map]

Rudolf Jenny (2004)

Roger Kramer (20--) "The mystery surrounding Stanhopea ruckeri," in: OASIS journal 1(3): pp? Weblink to OASIS

John Lindley (1843) "Stanhopea ruckeri," in: Edward's Botanical Register 29: sub t. 44.


Comments? Questions? Send E-mail: stanhopea@autrevie.com.

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