Porroglossum hirtzii is from Ecuador (Alexander Hirtz is a well known German orchid collector in Ecuador). The plant is 4 cm tall and the leaves are a dark green with a lightly pebbled surface. The flowers spikes bear only one flower and are 10 cm long and tend to be pendant. The flowers are 1.5 cm long and have the typical hinged lip of this genus, a lip that swings up when the flower is disturbed by a pollinating insect, trapping the insect against the column of the flower. Two of the last three pictures show the flowers with the lip against the column.
What a beautiful little species. I like especially the color. White pink with that dark spot on the lip.
ReplyDeleteAndré.
Thanks, Andre. It is lovely but I had trouble with it until I mounted it. Once it established it did well.
DeleteHi Ron
ReplyDeleteI was puzzled reading your comment on Alexander Hirtz...There still is an Alexander Hirtz (born 1951), living in Quito, and active in orchids stuff. Are you aware of another man with same name, for whom this Porro was named?
Didn't know he was still living, but he's one for whom this was named.
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