Stanhopea napoensis

Original publication by Calaway H. Dodson (1975) in: Selbyana, 1(2): 114--129.

Grows in the hot, humid, Amazonian lowlands of eastern Ecuador; Napo and Pichincha Provinces; 0-500 meters elevation. Discovered in 1963.

This rare, seldom seen plant has huge flowers up to 9-in. with distinctive markings and deep purple spotting coloration in the bowing hypochile.

Compare with Stanhopea platyceras.

Photo at left by Kelvin Bush.

AOS award:

Stanhopea napoensis 'RSK' CHM/AOS 85 pts.

Awarded 3/21/2003, San Diego County OS Show.

"Two flowers on one pendent inflorescence; sepals and petals cream-colored, peppered with clustered burgundy spots; lip mesochile deep velvet burgundy; substance very firm; texture crystalline; plant noted for being an interesting recently described species; origin Ecuador; identified by Calaway Dodson.

Nat. spr. 9.5 cm, 17.5 cm vert.; ds 4.6 cm w, 10.1 cm l; pet 3.4 cm w, 8.3 cm l; ls 6.5 cm w, 10.1 cm l; lip 3.5 cm w, 8.5 cm l."

Exhibitor: Ron Kaufmann, San Diego, CA. Published in AQ 35(1): 66, with B&W photo.

Printed References:

Calaway H. Dodson (1975), "Orchids of Ecuador: Stanhopea," in: Selbyana, 1(2): 114--129.

Calaway H. Dodson and P. M. Dodson (1982), "Orchids of Upland Ecuador," in: Icones Plantarum Tropicarum 5: 401--500, plate 494. Sarasota: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Calaway H. Dodson (1988) "A list of the orchid species reported for Ecuador," in: Orquídeas de la costa del Ecuador, p.115--129.

Rudolf Jenny (1995) "The Gongorinae: 7. Stanhopea: part 15," in: Caesiana, no. 5, pp. 7-28. [S. maculosa, S. napoensis, S. novogaliciana, S. opsinae, S. posadae]

Rudolf Jenny (Dec. 2003) "The Genus Stanhopea. Part 1: S. anfracta to S. napoensis," in: Caesiana no. 21, Supplement. 200 color photos, 160 p., Italian/English, covers 32 species.

S.S. Renner, H. Balslev & L. B. Holm-Nielsen (1990) "Flowering plants of Amazonian Ecuador---A checklist," in: AAU Reports 24: 1--241.

Roger Williams (Nov. 1999) "Growing Orchids in the Southern Hemisphere," in: Orchids, 68(11): 1140-1145. [Cool-house: Stanhopea anfracta, connata, tigrina; Intermediate-house: Stan. pozoi, warscewicziana; Warm-house: Stan. candida, grandiflora, napoensis, tricornis]

Web References:

International Plant Names Index [IPNI], www.ipni.org.

Marie Selby (SEL) Herbarium: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Florida, list of type sheets; 7 stanhopeas: Stanhopea annulata, embreii, frymirei, napoensis, pozoi, vasquezii, x thienii.

Missouri Botanical Garden, TROPICOS - Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador

Photo and description of Stanhopea napoensis from Tropical Orchid Farm [seedlings available].

Photo and description of Stanhopea napoensis 'Colombian Aloha' from Tropical Orchid Farm [seedlings available].

Notes on Stanhopea napoensis 'Colombian Aloha' by Erich Michel, Hoosier Orchids, Indianapolis. [15 May 2007 - noticed that this link is not working - will check into it.