Selected Species - by Peter Taylor
Stanhopea martiana Batem. Ex Lindl. 
Over the past 30 years I have noted with interest the changing "fashions" among species enthusiasts as particular orchids come into vogue, some for rather brief periods, and then lapse as other plants are determined to be more desirable.
A little while ago we went through a period of "masdevallia madness" (to which, I confess, I thoroughly succumbed). Many of the Masdevallia enthusiasts found to their dismay that often very expensive plants, mostly showy, cool-growing species, proved impossible to grow effectively unless rather sophisticated environments were created for them.
Other members of the Pleurothallidinae, such as Restrepia and Pleurothallis have shown themselves more amenable to our cultural conditions and are now firm favourites with species growers.
The Gongoreae tribe contains many fascinating and desirable species. The genus Gongora is, at the moment, very much in fashion with growers and some wonderful plants of Gongora chocoensis and Gga. velastiquii have been benched at meetings. They are generally easy-growing and free-flowering plants, a welcome addition to any collection.
Another member of the Gongora tribe is the well-known genus Stanhopea. Many people, some not even orchid enthusiasts, have a plant or two of this amazing "upside down" orchid growing under trees in their backyard so I suppose that a general, perhaps lukewarm, interest in these orchids has long existed.
However, a few years ago, interest became passion and Stanhopea species were, for many enthusiasts, suddenly elevated to the top of their "must have" lists. Huge prices which, to me at least, seem ridiculous were paid at auctions for even small pieces of what new Stanhopea devotees considered desirable.
We have come a long way from the situation of an often incorrectly labelled Stanhopea tigrina sitting rather sadly and in dire need of repotting, overlooked by its owner as attention was lavished on more "desirable" or "fashionable" species. Stanhopea species are now fashion leaders.
The Australian authority on Stanhopea, Barney Greer, authored a terrific little book on the genus (The Astonishing Stanhopeas, 1998) which contains a wealth of information on the interesting history and culture of the genus. This publication should be in the collection of all orchid enthusiasts and, if you would like to know more than the usually written description of Stanhopea as "in honour of the Rt. Hon. Philip Henry Stanhope who was president of the London Medico-Botanical Society from 1829 - 1837" (Bectel, Cribb, Launert: 1981: 400) then I urge you to acquire a copy. (Note: this publication is available from the Australian Orchid Foundation).
Barney's prose is captivating, "viewed as art, the lip (of Stanhopea species) is a fantastic piece of sculpture carved out, solid and smooth-gleaming, from something between soap and ivory. Viewed as an engineering contrivance, that lip is a device of precise of precise measurement designed with complete success, separately to persuade various different sorts and sizes of bees to co-operate in the fertilising process" (Greer: 1998:5). Barney' enthusiasm for the wonders of evolution is most clear in the reading of his work.
Stanhopea species, of which I have about 15, are interesting orchids described by Williams (The Orchids Growers Manual) in 1885 as "beautiful epiphytes ... in most of the kinds highly coloured, and emitting a very strong perfume; unfortunately they remain but a few days in perfection, which is much to be regretted as they are free-flowering plants, an consequently a succession of blooms keeps them gay for a considerable time".
I, of course, have my particular favourites in the genus. The beautiful pure white Stanhopea candida, the lovely orange Stan. connata, the "primitive" Stan. ecornuta, and the delicately spotted Stan. guttulata all have singular beauty. My "top" Stanhopea is Stan. martiana, the species I have selected for this month and the plant of the accompanying illustration. I don't know if Stan. martiana is readily available; I was lucky to be given the species by Barney Greer. I suspect it is an uncommon plant as I have seen it in few collections and it is merely benched for exhibit (not an unusual factor with stanhopeas because of their brief period of flowering).
The species is Mexican, from the lower coastal mountains from Tepic to Oaxaca. I think it is of particular beauty - "blood red and snow white" to use Barney;s vivid description. The flowers are large, of superb texture like a strong piece of ivory. A long narrow epichile and large horns characterise the flower.
Stanhopea martiana is easy to grow. In summer it thrives in a sheltered shade house growing in a wire basket in a medium of bark and a little sphagnum moss. In winter, I bring the plant into my glass house where it gets to a minimum of 12 degrees Celsius.
The illustration for this brief article, taken by David Banks, reveals the lovely "full-blown" beauty of not only this species but of the genus in general.
Even if you are wary of the arbiters of fashion in our society I believe that this is one fashion trend (the renewed interest in the genus Stanhopea) that you should indulge.
© Peter Taylor and Australian Orchid Council Inc 2000
Originally published in "Orchids Australia" June 2000.
