Stanhopea moliana

Rolfe

Native to Peru
Edited 29 June 2007

Originally published in Lindenia 7:t. 331. 1892.
This species was named for M. Jules van Mol and was introduced into cultivation by Linden in Brussels, Belgium.

The description in Schweinfurth (1960) reads, in part,
"Plant large. ... inflorescense with about four flowers... very large, fragrant, with spreading-reflexed sepals and petals. Sepals cream-color, irregularly spotted with reddish purple; petals white with larger and more deeply colored spots; lip white with a mass of tiny red-purple spots. Dorsal sepal... about 7 cm long anf 4 cm wide. Lateral sepals... about as long as the dorsal sepal but broader. Petals... undulate on the margins, shorter and much narrower than the sepals. Lip fleshy, about 6 cm. long..."

At left is an image of the 19th century lithograph published in the Lindenia. At the time of publication, it was thought to be allied to Stanhopea ruckeri Lindley and Stanhopea wardii Lodd. ex Lindley, and also bears a slight resemblance to Stanhopea haseloviana Rchb.f., known from Peru.

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I am very interested in learning more about this unusual species.
If you have any information, please contact me at stanhopea@autrevie.com.

Here is part of the text regarding this species from the Lindenia. Thanks to Bob at Botana Books for the scan.

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