Wild terrestrial Peruvian orchids

[gonewild]

Every once in a while we find a terrestrial orchid in the Peruvian forest. I have no idea what the genus or species are but here are some photos....

This is a typical view of the forest floor a primary forest near the Rio Tahumanu except this picture has an orchid plant in the middle of it.

A few days later and I would have seen the flowers.

This one is very rare to see, and has beautiful spotted foliage.

 

[SlipperKing]

cool stuff. The two look closely related, do you think so?

 

[gonewild]

cool stuff. The two look closely related, do you think so?

I don't know how closely related they are. The first plant has very soft and delicate foliage where the secod spotted plant has very thick and hard leaves.
Both go dormant, or at least loose their leaves for part of the year.

 

[NYEric]

Plantithera top.

 

[paphioboy]

IMHO the first one looks more like an aroid to me.. Second one looks like it might be a distant relative of nephelaphyllum...

 

[gonewild]

They both are definitely orchids. Even though the first one does look like an Aroid notice the flower spike has nodes. The roots are also positively orchid.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Intriguing for sure.

 

[Dupuy]

Sarcoglottis o Pelexia its a. many look alike without flower!

 

[kentuckiense]

They both are definitely orchids. Even though the first one does look like an Aroid notice the flower spike has nodes. The roots are also positively orchid.

I must admit that neither strike me as particularly orchidaceous. The first plant has veins that connect to the midrib instead of running parallel the entire length of the leaf. Additionally, it has a winged midrib. I've never seen either trait in an orchid, however, that doesn't mean that they don't exist in the orchid world.

The second plant looks a lot like the ornamental I call "rubber tree," but I believe those are paleotropical.

I don't think either are Sarcoglottis or Pelexia. All of the Pelexia info I could find mention nothing of a winged midrib. Anyway, this is pretty interesting. I look forward to hearing more opinions.

 

[treefrog]

I can confirm therse are not orchids. I've saw these plants numerous time as I work in the San Martin Department forest and none have characteristics of orchids in both flowers and leaf venation. The forests around Tarapoto are not very rich in orchids unless you go on the ridges of the Cordillera Escalera.
All the best
Math

 

[gonewild]

I can confirm therse are not orchids. I've saw these plants numerous time as I work in the San Martin Department forest and none have characteristics of orchids in both flowers and leaf venation. The forests around Tarapoto are not very rich in orchids unless you go on the ridges of the Cordillera Escalera.
All the best
Math

Neither one of these plants are from the Tarapoto area. Both are in the Madre de Dios very near the Brazilian and Bolivian borders very far from the San Martin Dept.

 

[treefrog]

I know Madre de Dios very well too and it is even poorer in orchids than the Tarapoto region. The first one looks like a gesneriaceae and the second one an aroid.

 

[gonewild]

I know Madre de Dios very well too and it is even poorer in orchids than the Tarapoto region.

Poorer in orchids? Depends on where you look I guess. Where did you look by the way?

The first one looks like a gesneriaceae

What in the first one looks like gesneriaceae?
It does not have fuzzy leaves.

and the second one an aroid.

It may look like an aroid but but it is an orchid. They both are, I have seen them in bloom.

 

[NYEric]

Send them to me. "Where's that hypnotizing smilie!?":crazy:

 

[Brian Monk]

second one is spot on for Pelexia laxa (syn maculata).

 

[kentuckiense]

second one is spot on for Pelexia laxa (syn maculata).

Forgive me, but I just don't see it: http://www.orchidboard.com/communit.../31450-plexia-laxa-trichopilia-turialbae.html

(Of course, I'm assuming the plant from the link is actually Pelexia laxa)

 

[gonewild]

Try this link...

http://www.orchidspecies.com/pellaxa.htm.

Same species or different? But it looks like the same genera.

 

[kentuckiense]

Lance, I'd certainly agree with that one. Thanks for the link.

 

[Brian Monk]

Well, the photo from the Orchid Board is not Pelexia. It s not even an orchid. It is a commonly raised houseplant, and is an aroid. I have several of them. Search for Aglaonema.

 

[gonewild]

Well, the photo from the Orchid Board is not Pelexia. It s not even an orchid. It is a commonly raised houseplant, and is an aroid. I have several of them. Search for Aglaonema.

It really does look like an aroid in the close up photo of the plant but if you look at the first photo on the link you will see it in flower. It definitely is not an aroid and has orchid flowers on it! So it could be Pelexia?