Sophronitis mantiqueirae

Common Name - The Mantiqueira Laelia [Brazilian Mountain Range]

Another ''wild dream'' of all amateur orchid collectors ,with enticing red and relatively large flowers ! In appearance and proportions ,it resembles Sophronitis coccinea ,differing from it in the absence of red stripes on the leaves , a dissimilar time-span of flowering and a stronger cryophilia . Attempts to cultivate any Sophronitis orchids usually fail owing to the extreme ecological requirements of the plants ' natural habitat -temperatures oftern drop to the freezing point there at that time of year . Therefore ,plants in collections sometimes tend to gradually reduce their pseuobulbs ,become stunds and bloom only very rarely . Under cultivation ,the orginal dark red color of their flowers gradually turns in to orange ,owing to an insufficient intake of ultra violet radiation . The roots are prone to molding ,which is why the plants ought to be mounted on slabs of cork or pine bark . Some growers even succeed by placing the plants in ciently aired and well drained . Do not report or transfer the plants too oftern . Sophronitis mantiqueirae blooms between January and February and comes from higher and very cool altitudes in Brazil .

Synonyms

Hadrolaelia mantiqueirae ( Fowlie ) Chiron & V.P.Castro 2002; Laelia crispilabia Auct non A. Rich; Sophronitis coccinea subsp. mantiqueirae Fowlie 1968; Sophronitis mantiqueirae (Fowlie) Fowlie 1972