Native to Mexico, Atlantic watershed
Edited 23 January 2008
It is distinguished from these two other species by lip morphology and the fragrance, which uniquely includes phenylethylacetate (aka phenethyl acetate), which has a rosy-honey odor, and phenylethylachohole.
Found in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Chiapas, and Oaxaca. The original material was collected at 500 m elevation on 27 March 1987, in the municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla, atop Cerro del Vigía, Estación de Biologiá Tropical Los Tuxtlas.
It flowered later in cultivation, and one holotype was deposited at the Herbario AMO in Mexico City. A second holotype was archived at the Herbario Instituto de Ecología, A.C., in Xalapa, Veracruz (XAL). The isotype is in the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The species is named for taxonomist Calaway H. Dodson, who has been studying the orchids of Ecuador since 1957. Ecuador is estimated to have "more known species of orchids than any other country -- over 3,300 species documented so far, about 700 of which were described by Dodson himself or with co-authors." Dodson worked with the Missouri Botanic Garden and established the Rio Palenque field station in the Pacific lowlands in the early 1970's. He has innumerable publications to his credit.
Photo at left by Bill Bergstrom. Plants occasionally available from Bergstrom Orchids; see Big Island Growers directory
References:
International Plant Names Index [IPNI],
www.ipni.org
Gerardo A. Salazar & Miquel Angel Soto Arenas (8 Oct. 2001) "A new species of Stanhopea from Mexico," in: Lindleyana 16(3): 144-148, 2 figures.
W. Mark Whitten and Norris H. Williams (1992) "Floral fragrances of Stanhopea (Orchidaceae)," in: Lindleyana 7(3): 130-153.
"Phenyl Ethyl Acetate: Modifier of Rose Character,"
http://www.krupascientific.com/phenyl_ethyl_acetate.htm.
Comments? Questions? Send e-mail: stanhopea@autrevie.com.
