Orinoco's superb orchid

Orinoco's superb orchid

This most interesting Venezuelan orchid, living in the forests of the Amazonas and Bolivar States, is one of the botanical jewels of the regions south of the Orinoco. It belongs to the genus Cattleya, represented by twenty species distributed from Mexico to Brazil, adorning with impressive flowers the jungles of the Continent.

Four of species of the genus are known to exist in Venezuela, and among them, the May Flower, -our National Emblematic Flower - known to the scientists as Cattleya labiata var. mossiae. Five varieties of Cattleya labiata are known in this country, as follows: labiata, gaskeliana, luddenmanniana, percivaliana and mossiae.

The Superb orchid of the Orinoco is a very peculiar species. Each of its pseudobulbs bear two leaves and produce three very beautiful lilac color flowers, which possess three-lobed dark-purple-violet lips. The center of the lip shows a yellowish stain adorned by delicate fuchsia lines.

Dr. Ernesto Foldats, an UCV Botanist, (a Creole Foundation International Scientific Award winner) published a revision of more than 1000 species of Venezuelan orchids back in 1964, and estimated a total of1200 species when the country is completely surveyed.