# Any ideas?



## Jorch (Mar 2, 2008)

This is my second no ID phrag. It's a huge plant, each leaf is about 18 inches long, it looks great even out of bloom. Now it's double spiking, and the first flower finally opened:







This is the close up shot, showing the hairy armpits:





and the whole plant





Any ideas what it might be? Thanks in advance!


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## Leo Schordje (Mar 2, 2008)

leaves narrow and grassy - I would say Phrag richterii, at one time this was thought to be a giant form of pearceii, but it was elevated to species. Therer is a possibility you have either the natural or man made hybrid (boissierianum x pearceii) but I think you can safely narrow it down to those 2 possibilities. 
Leo


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## SlipperKing (Mar 2, 2008)

Phrag pearcei


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## SlipperKing (Mar 2, 2008)

Here is the description of richteri from PhragWeb.com

Flower : The tepals are smooth at the outside, at the top with short downy hairs. The lip is at the margin of the lip opening covered with short hairs. The staminode is diagonally elliptic with a small point sticking out at the lower edge. The upper and side margin is covered with short bristly hairs, the lower edge has some short hairs.
You can find a description of pearcei as well. Good luck


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## Rick (Mar 2, 2008)

Leo Schordje said:


> leaves narrow and grassy - I would say Phrag richterii, at one time this was thought to be a giant form of pearceii, but it was elevated to species. Therer is a possibility you have either the natural or man made hybrid (boissierianum x pearceii) but I think you can safely narrow it down to those 2 possibilities.
> Leo



There are some things about this flower that look like it has some boissierianum in it.

The regular wavy edges of the petals and the angular flare of the pouch above the opening is boissierianum like. The staminode is kinda funny looking too, being more diamond shape than most pearcei.

I think its about 60% pearcei or richteri with 40% boissieranum thrown in.


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## smartie2000 (Mar 2, 2008)

I was about to say Phrag richterii but I'm not expert


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## Jorch (Mar 3, 2008)

Thanks guys. I am leaning towards richteri too, but of course, I am no expert. 

Rick, yes, at first I thought there might be boissierianum because of the angular flare of the pouch, but some of the pictures of richteri in Orchid Digest or on websites also show richteri with the same flare, so I am a bit confused.. 

The staminode is a perfect diamond shape with hairs on the upper part as oppose to a triangular smooth staminode of boissierianum. 

I don't think it is a pearcei due to its size. the pearcei/ecuadorense I've seen are only about 1/3 the size of this no ID phrag. 

Please let me know if anyone needs more detailed shots of the bloom and/or plant. Thank you!


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## Rick (Mar 3, 2008)

Jorch said:


> Thanks guys. I am leaning towards richteri too, but of course, I am no expert.
> 
> Rick, yes, at first I thought there might be boissierianum because of the angular flare of the pouch, but some of the pictures of richteri in Orchid Digest or on websites also show richteri with the same flare, so I am a bit confused..
> 
> ...



Yes I see the variation you are referring to in OD. There is allot of variation in pearcei/ecuadorense and richteri. The ruffles and staminode are quite a bit different than my richteri, which is related to green giant (a known richteri). Do you have any clue at all based on source? If the spike branches then its even closer to richteri.


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