P30_709

Cattleya brymeriana
The genus Cattleya includes one of the most popular orchids among orchidists, who manage to produce a large number of hybrids from these species for commercial purposes. The specimen in the photo is also a hybrid and when the biologist Jefferson Cruz (scientific consultant for the expedition) told me that, I immediately thought how a hybrid could have arrived in the top of a tree, in the Mariuá archipelago, one of the areas with the lowest population density in the planet. The scientist’s answer came with a reassuring smile: it’s a natural hybrid that rarely happens in nature. When two species such as C. eldorado and C. violacea, despite having different flowering times, due to special circumstances, there is a moment of coincidence in the period allowing one to pollinate the other.

P30_709 – Leonide Principe
Camera Nikon F5 with Micro Nikkor lens 60mm f2.8 – Diapositive Film Fujichrome Velvia 50 – Scanner: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 ED
Digitised from a positive on film –
Original file size: 5325px x 3608px
Location Taken: Mariuá archipelago (Barcelos – Amazonas Brazil)
Date Taken: 1997
Collection: Orchids – Persons shown: none
Keywords:
Mariuá, Barcelos, Amazonas, Amazônia, Amazon, Amazonian, Brazil, Brasil, Brazilian, América do Sul, South America, Cattleya brymeriana, orquídeas, orchids, flores, bloom, blooming, blossom, flowers, FLORA, plantas, plants, híbrido natural, natural hybrid, Cattleya eldorado, Cattleya violacea, epífitas, epiphyte
EN1 Cattleya brymeriana P30_709
PT1 Cattleya brymeriana P30_709
© – Leonide Principe, all right reserved
https://leonideprincipe.photos

P30_707

Cattleya violacea
Here is a very popular, well-known and no less exciting orchid. Its well-proportioned beauty, with intense colors, when in bloom, it is easy to identify on the trees, either by color or by its generous size. Navigating through the igapósIgapó comes from the Tupi language ia’pó. Strip of forest with its own vegetation, through which the waters normally penetrate during the flood season. Many varieties of fish depend on the igapós to spawn, protect and feed their young. In general, the aquatic life of the Amazon basin is very dependent on the igapós because of the fruits, insects and small animals they contain. Therefore, in order to maintain the ecological balance, it is fundamental that the vegetation of the flooded areas is preserved. More of the Mariuá archipelago, the violet dot emerged from the large green mass and this specimen immediately offered itself to our discovery. The climb was simple and quick, our companion on the journey was on the main trunk and the first fork.

P30_707 – Leonide Principe
Camera Nikon F5 with Micro Nikkor lens 60mm f2.8 – Diapositive Film Fujichrome Velvia 50 – Scanner: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 ED
Digitised from a positive on film –
Original file size: 3542px x 5325px
Location Taken: Mariuá archipelago (Barcelos – Amazonas Brazil)
Date Taken: 1997
Collection: Orchids – Persons shown: none
Keywords:
Mariuá, Barcelos, Amazonas, Amazônia, Amazon, Amazonian, Brazil, Brasil, Brazilian, América do Sul, South America, Cattleya violacea, orquídeas, orchids, flores, bloom, blooming, blossom, flowers, FLORA, plantas, plants, epífitas, epiphyte
EN2 Cattleya violacea P30_707
PT2 Cattleya violacea P30_707
© – Leonide Principe, all right reserved
https://leonideprincipe.photos

P30_711

Dressed in gold

Rarely can Cattleya eldorado hybridize with C. violacea, creating the unbelievable C. brymeriana illustrated on the cover of the article. The name eldorado refers to the mythical king because of the golden yellow present in the flower. It is mainly present in areas of high luminosity, preferentially vegetating on macucu tree (Aldina heterophylla). This specimen was photographed in the CampinaCampinas is an ecosystem with sandy soils and low vegetation, well differentiated from the thriving Amazonian normality. Geologically, the meadows are associated with the old beds and beaches of large rivers. More do Inpa reserve, where it is relatively abundant, as it is a preserved area. The ‘campina’ is an ecosystem with sandy soils and low vegetation, well differentiated from the thriving Amazonian normality. Geologically, the ‘campina’ are associated with the old beds and beaches of large rivers.

P30_711 – Leonide Principe
Camera Nikon F5 with Micro Nikkor lens 60mm f2.8 – Diapositive Film Fujichrome Velvia 50 – Scanner: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 ED
Digitised from a positive on film –
Original file size: 5289px x 3549px
Location Taken: Reserva Campina (Manaus – Amazonas Brazil)
Date Taken: 1997
Collection: Orchids – Persons shown: none
Keywords:
var. alba, Cattleya eldorado, orquídeas, orchids, flores, bloom, blooming, blossom, flowers, FLORA, plantas, plants, Reserva Campina, Manaus, Manaos, Amazonas, Amazônia, Amazon, Amazonian, Brazil, Brasil, Brazilian, América do Sul, South America, epífitas, epiphyte
EN3 Cattleya eldorado var. alba P30_711
PT3 Cattleya eldorado var. alba P30_711
© – Leonide Principe, all right reserved
https://leonideprincipe.photos