cycnoches-maculatum

In the genus Cycnoches,synoeciousness(that is ,an ability to foam completely different male and female flowers on one plant at once) has gone so far that not only the flowers but also their arrangements are markedly different. In many cases , the female inflorescences are smaller,poor in flowers and more or less erect ,where as the male flowers are arranged in overhanging racemes bearing a large number of flowers. This type of orchids (belonging to the Heteranthae section)is represented by C. maculatum. The photo shows a suspended male inflorescence ; the female flowers are a little bigger,arranged in a rather poor semi-erect raceme and are also yellowish ,with tiny brown spots . The pseudobulbs are only 6 in /15 cm long ,which makes the species an interesting ,but not very easily cultivated ,curiosity among orchids . The flowers can be expected to appear between August and October. The plant is native to Venezuela.