- for you, for me

By SIEG HAMMAN P.O. Box 703, White River 1240. Photographs: Linet Hamman and Sieg Hamman

The coelogynes are surely one of the most attractive and variable genera in the orchid family.

Some have trusses of lacy, snow- more beautiful than any bouquet. white fragrant blooms (cristata); sinister Some of you might remember the salmon pink solitary (speciosa); exquisite specimen Coel.cristata at the chain- like in shades of topaz National Show in Bellville, 1994. and chocolate brown (tomentosa); erect, The Coelogyne was founded by delicate white, spicy scented white (nitida) John Lindley in 1821 in his Collectanea and even spectacular emerald green flowers marked with blue-black ridges Botanica. (pandurata). E. Pfitzer and F. Kranzlin revised the Coelogyne is a large genus of more than genus in Das Pflanzenreich (1907). They two hundred distributed from divided the 103 species in the genus into the and southern in two series: Succedaneae (where the flowers the North, to Ceylon and throughout open in succession in the ) Malaysia to the Pacific Islands. The name and Simultanceae (the flowers open derives from the Greek koilos (hollow) simultaneously). When a further more and gyne (woman), referring to the deep than 140 species were discovered the stigmatic cavity. classification was in dire need for revision. Recently F. Butzin published a key and When I saw the name for the first time, divided the genus into five subgenera – I found it very difficult to read, don’t Coelogyne (14 sections), Chelonistele, even mention pronouncing it! For a Hologyne, Ptychogyne and Cyathogyne. while I always referred to ‘that beautiful white orchid with the difficult name.’ There are several features to study that To complicate matters even further the can aid in identifying the different different regions seem to have different species apart from flower colour and ways of pronouncing it. (According to lip ornamentation. Two important Hawkes (1965) the correct pronouncia- characteristics are the presence or tion starts with an “s”.) absence of basal sheathing bracts and whether the flowers open simultaneously The great bonus is that one of the most or one at a time. rewarding and beautiful species of the genus, , is also common The development of the inflorescence is and easy to obtain. It can be grown into also a very important characteristic and a large specimen with ease and is classification tool.

128 COELOGYNE - FOR YOU, FOR ME ORCHIDS SOUTH AFRICA The pure white form of Coelogyne cristata, Coelogyne cristata var hololeuca, is pretty and easy to grow and flower. It is a very rewarding plant and easy to grow into a specimen.

Coelogyne cristata grows in Eastern Himalayas – it is commonly A close-up of Coelogyne cristata seen in cultivation. var. hololeuca.

ORCHIDS SOUTH AFRICA COELOGYNE - FOR YOU, FOR ME 128 It may be: Intermediate to warm growing species 1. hysteranthous - after the pseudobulbs include Coelogyne asperata, C. mayeriana, have finished growing C. massangeana and C. pandurata. They may be watered and fertilised uniformly 2. syanthous - simultaneous with the throughout the year. growth of the pseudobulbs 3. proteranthous before the pseudobulb The cool growing species, such as Coelogyne with the develops or cristata, C. flaccida and C. fimbriata, require rest when the new growth 4. heteranthous - the inflorescence is borne on a separate shoot which pro- matures and until new roots appear. duces only rudimentary pseudobulbs Common belief is that you should keep and leaves Coelogyne cristata dry for the whole winter There have been some very successful to make it flower well. Some people keep Coelogyne crosses. The first hybridising them so dry that the pseudobulbs look with Coelogyne was made almost one like very dry prunes. What it actually hundred years ago in 1906 by Brymer – needs is a drop in temperature and then Coelogyne Brymeriana that is Coel. asperata x Coel. pulverula. it can flower beautifully with fat, swollen pseudobulbs. Over the years there have been more than thirty-two crosses and Coelogyne The best advice is to research what the cristata was most used as a parent. To natural habitat and climate is of the me one of the most spectacular crosses region where the species occur. Some is the green-flowered Coelogyne species like can be Burfordiense (pandurata x asperata). grown in almost any condition because Coelogyne Intermedia (according to it is naturally so widespread. some records originally a natural hybrid between C. cristata and C. tomentosa) Most Coelogynes are easy to grow and and Coelogyne Unchained Melody usually do well in a hanging basket. (cristata x flaccida) are also worth They prefer bright light, but no direct mentioning. sun that can easily burn the leaves. Because of the great variety of habitat and altitudinal range, it is difficult to So, there’s no excuse, hop onto the pinpoint growing conditions for the Coelogyne bus and enjoy the abundance genus. and ease of this beautiful genus.

Coelogyne mooreana cv. Brockhurst has almost FCC/RHS - this beautiful species with insignificant petals, but sports a its upright inflorescence is endemic beautiful white and dark brown lip - to Vietnam. they flower throughout the year.

128 COELOGYNE - FOR YOU, FOR ME ORCHIDS SOUTH AFRICA is widespread from the Himalayas in , Vietnam, A species endemic to Vietnam Thailand, to southern China and is the larger-flowering Hong Kong. .

Complementing both parents Many of the Coelogyne species Coelogyne Unchained Melody is a good produce pendulous mixture of both Coelogyne cristata and and therefore they grow well . The bonus of course in baskets or mounted like is the longer arching spray and many Coelogyne massangeana. more larger flowers to enjoy.

References: - Seidenfaden, G. & Wood, J.J. 1992. The - Bechtel, H., Cribb, P.J. & E. Launert. 1992. Orchids of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Olsen & Olsen The Manual of Cultivated Orchid Species. - Stewart,J. & Griffiths, M. 1992. Manual of 3rd edition, Trade Winds Press, Durban. Orchids. Macmillan Publishing Ltd, London. - Coomber, J.B. 1990. Orchids of Java. CD’s: Royal Botanic Gradens, Kew. - The RHS Orchid Information System - Pridgeon, A. 1992. What Orchid is that? Version 3.0 CD Weldon Publishing, Sydney. -Wildcatt Orchids (August 2003 Update)

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