Orchid News 21

Keys word:

Hoffmannseggella conceicionensis, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Conceição do Mato Dentro, Hoffmannseggella crispata, iron ore, a new species.

Abstract:

A new species of Orchidaceae of the genus Hoffmannseggella H. G. Jones is here presented.
This plant has been discovered for us during the eighties, in the interior of the state of de Minas Gerais, next to Conceição do Mato Dentro city.
By this time, we believed that it was a new species, however waiting for a better definition of the Brazilian species of the genus Laelia, we delayed the publication. With the researches done by Guy Chiron and Vitorino Paiva Castro Neto in this group of plants which culminated, among another things, with the reestablishment of the genus Hoffmannseggella, we came back to work with this plant, which description has been done in the magazine Richardiana II (3): 111-115, July 2002, as follow below.

Hoffmannseggella conceicionensis V. P. Castro & Campacci

Type:
Brazil, Minas Gerais, from Conceição do Mato Dentro.

Holotype:
SP.

Collector:
Marcos Antonio Campacci, nº 525, May 2000.
It bloomed in cultivation in 2000 August and in the same month of the next year.

Description:

Rupicolous, caespitose herb;
Obclavate reddish pseudobulbs, reaching until 20,0 cm long by 0,5 cm diameter in the apex and 2,0 cm at the base, unifoliate, very rarely bifoliate;
coriaceous recurved and oblong leaves with acute apex, dorsally reddish, as a rule with 15,0 cm de long by 1,5 cm wide in the central part;

linear truncate bud sheath with oblique apex, from 5,5 to 6.5 cm long and 0,6 cm wide;
long apical inflorescence, reaching 40,0 cm long;
yellow, simultaneous, flowers gathered in the apex of the floral stem, among the biggest of the genus;
slightly reflex petals, the dorsal is elliptical with acute apex, 2,8 cm long by 0,9 cm wide, the lateral are lanceolate, asymmetrical, little shorter than the dorsal;
slightly falcate petals, also rather reflex, with 2,6 cm long by 0,9 cm wide;
lip with 4 longitudinal veins raised at the center, deeply trilobate, measuring 2,5 cm long by 1,7 cm wide, the medium lobe is very curled, with 1,0 cm diameter, more or less orbicular, the laterals are ovaled with acute apex and measuring 2,0 cm long by 0,8 cm wide;
erect semi-cylindrical yellow column, with 1,0 cm long by 0,4 cm wide;
anther in hood shape, yellow;
8 yellow pollinia;
ovary almost cylindrical, slightly recurved;
pedicel measuring between 3,5 and 4,0 cm long.

Distribution:
Minas Gerais, endemic to Conceição do Mato Dentro's surroundings.

Blooming season:
End of the winter and going on until the springtime (in Brazil).

Habitat:
Rocky mountains upper to 800 meters, where there are outcroppings of iron ore, vegetating on the crushed rock and other materials existing among the shrub vegetation.

Etymology:
Reference to the place where the plant has been found.

Discussion:
This new orchid is placed in a genus composed by orchids that form a naturally homogeneous group, with similar plants. Hoffmannseggella conceicionensis has bigger resemblance with Hoffmannseggella crispata (Thunb.) H. G. Jones, differing from that by the size and physical aspect of the plant, presenting narrower, longer and more recurved leaves than the other; higher and red pseudobulbs and the leaves always dorsally reddish.
Its habitat is restraint to some mountains in Conceição do Mato Dentro (Minas Gerais), where grows on the iron ore which outcrops on the surface, always near to shrub and small trees, which filter part of the excess of sun.
The flowers of this new species, at the first sight, are similar to Hoffmannseggella crispata, however its color is always stronger, its lip has shorter lateral lobes, orbicular medium lobe, contrary to that one which has it more oblong.
Another interesting characteristic is the fact that its flowers take much more time to be formed and to open than the flowers of Hoffmannseggella crispata.

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