Bletila purpurea (Lamarck) A. de Candolle 1841 Variant(s): An alba form is known. Bletia purpurea var alba Ariza & Jimenez Synonyms: Basionym: Limodorum purpureum Lambert Bletia acutipetala Hooker Bletia alta Hitchcock Bletia havanensis A. Richard Bletia pottsii S. Watson Bletia pulchella R.H. Torr. Bletia tuberosa Ames Bletia verecunda R. Brown Cymbidium altum Willd. Cymbidium trifidum Swartz Cymbidium verecundum Swartz Gyas verecunda Salisb. 1812 Helleborine americana Steud. Limodorum tuberosum Lindley Limodorum trifidum Michx. Limodorum verecundum Salisbury Regnellia purpurea Barb. Rodr. 1877 Thiebautia nervosa Colla 1824 Common name(s): Purple Bletia; Pine Pink Pronunciation: BLEH-tee-ahpur-pyur-AH-tah Derivation:The species name refers to the purple color. Plant: Terrestrial or semi-epiphytic, 100-150cm, plicate linear-lanceolate leaves from an flattened ovoid pseudobulb (3.5cm), joined in long chains. Pseudobulbs are subterranean and the palm-like leaves are all that show above ground. Flowers: See illustrations. Inflorescence: loose, occasionally branched raceme with 3-80 pink flowers, deeply lobed lip, 5-7 yellow keels on midlobe, edges crisped. Fragrant: No. Bloomtimes: Late winter to summer. Habitat: Terrestrial in pine forests, mixed deciduous forests, and prairies. Occasionally found at the bases of trees in swampy areas. Distribution: southeastern Florida Mexico Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Belize Costa Rica Panama Jamaica Cuba Surinam Venezuela Columbia Ecuador Brazil (Amazonas) Culture: Bright light (grow with Cattleya) and plenty of air movement; give ample water in growing season; hot to cool temperatures. A terrestrial that is tolerant of soil conditions and grows well in the garden or in a pot. Other Notes: The USDA classifies this plant as THREATENED. See their listing at http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=BLPU Plants look like small palms and the spikes are upright. The flower color is quite variable between pink and dark purple... the flowers shown here were bicolored. This plant was photographed outside Havana, Cuba. Photos by Joseph Dougherty. Botanical prints from from Curtis' Botanical Magazine   References: The Native Orchids of Florida; Carlyle A. Luer; The New York Botanical Garden; pg. 226, 227 Native Orchids of N. America North of Mexico; Donovan Stewart Correll; Stanford University Press 1950, 1978; pg. 339 Field Guide to Orchids of North America; John G. Williams & Andrew E. Williams; Universe Books 1983; pg. 116, 117 Native Orchids of Belize; I. McLeish, N. R. Pearce & B.R. Adams; A. A. Balkema Publishers 1995; pg. 144 Orchidaceae Brasilienses; G.F.J. Pabst & F. Dungs; Brücke-verlag 1977; Vol. II, pg. 209 The Orchids of El Salvador; Fritz Hamer; Marie Selby Botanical Gardens 1981 vol. II; pg. 56 Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids; Alex D. Hawkes; Faber & Faber 1965; pg. 67 Orchids of Guatemala and Belize; Ames & Correll; Dover repint 1985; pg. 486 Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated ; G.C.K. Dunsterville and Leslie Garay; Andre Deutsch; Vol. II, pg. 40 Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids; Alex Pridgeon; Timber Press 1992; pg. 38 Native Ecuadorian Orchids ; Calaway H. Dodson & Rodrigo Escobar; Colina; Vol. I, pg. 64,65   back to top

last updated: March 8, 2003 by Joseph Dougherty All images on this site are copyrighted by the original photographer. Please be considerate and do not use these images without the photographer's prior permission. We welcome your contributions of images and cultural information. Contact me at josephd@ecology.org to contribute your images of alternate color forms, foliage variations, cultural tips, etc. We'll be happy to share them with the orchid community via this site and give you the credit, along with a link to your website if applicable.   Copyright © 1989-2003. All rights reserved. Send questions or comments to Joseph Dougherty