Sobralia
(pronounced: soh-BRAL-ee-ah)
Classification
Epidendreae subtribe Sobraliinae
Overview
Medium to large caespitose terrestrials, lithophytes or rarely epiphytes. Stems erect, leafy, usually unbranched. Leaves one to many, elliptic to lanceolate, rarely linear, sessile, acute-acuminate, pleated, often clustered toward the stem apex. Inflorescences terminal racemes, occasionally axillary in the upper leaf axils, sessile or pedunculate, often successively one-flowered. Flowers membranous, usually ephemeral, often gregarious. Sepals and petals free, spreading, the petals ofen wider than the sepals. Lip unlobed to three-lobed, usually tubular at the base, often with undulate margins, the callus absent or present, variable, usually of a pair of short basal keels and low linear parallel longitudinal keels or ridges, the keels often toothed or fimbriate. Column club-shaped, winged with the wings embracing the column apex, without a foot; pollinia 8, soft, sessile on a large common viscidium.
Etymology
Named to honor Francisco Sobral, an 18th century Spanish physician and botanist.
Distribution
A genus of about 95 species ranging from Mexico to Bolivia. Species-level taxonomy of Sobralia is rather problematic and research is largely hampered by the usually ephemeral flowers which typically make poor herbarium specimens. A few species with non-tu
Care and Culture Card
See basic growing conditions and care information below.
Grow plants of Sobralia in pots or tubs of medium-grade epiphyte mixture with the addition of moisture-retaining components. Pot newly establishing plants in small pots to avoid sour conditions in the root zone; repot into larger pots after active root growth has filled the smaller pot and begun to push the root mass out of the pot. Sobralias are particularly susceptible to root loss if divisions are initially over-potted. Provide intermediate to cool conditions depending on the species, medium bright light levels, and regular watering throughout the year. Despite species-specific habitat as either epiphytes or terrestrials in nature, both classes respond to similar treatment in cultivation.
Literature
Allen, P. H. 1958. Sobralia intermedia. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 27(8):531-535. Bennett, D. E., Jr., and E. A. Christenson 1999. Sobralia altissima. Orchids 68(11):1112-1114. Bennett, D. E., Jr., E. A. Christenson, A. Moises Cavero B. and M. Leon M. 1996. The Sobralias of Tingo Maria, Peru. Orchids 65(8):820-825. Benzing, D. H., D. W. Ott and W. E. Friedman 1982. Roots of Sobralia macrantha (Orchidaceae): structure and function of the velamen-exodermis complex. Amer. J. Bot. 69:608-614. Collantes, B. and M. León 1999. Inquil, Symbol of Carnival in Huachocolpa, Peru. Orchids 68(11):1102-1111. Dunsterville, G. C. K. 1980. Orchids of Venezuela: Sobralia sessilis, an orchid hunt in an orchid herbarium. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 49:486-488. Dunsterville, G. C. K. and E. Dunsterville 1975. Some Venezuelan sobralias. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 44(3):193-199. Dunsterville, G. C. K. and E. Dunsterville 1981. Sobralia ruckeri, a jinx-afflicted beauty queen. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 50(2):176-180. Green, T. 1999. Sobralias. Orchids 68(9):912-921. Pabst, G. F. J. 1979. Additamenta ad Orchideologiam Brasiliensem, XXXI. Bradea 3(2):11-12. Prutsch, J., A. Schardt and R. Schill 2000. Adaptations of an orchid seed to water uptake and -storage. Plant. Syst. Evol. 220:69-75. Teuscher, H. 1965. Collectors Item: Sobralia mucronata and S. lindleyana. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 34(11):994-997.
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