Legend for the Species Chart

SHOW

A.- Many flowers-be they from one inflorescence or many on small plants
B.- Intricate shapes or designs.
C.- Color-bright, eye catching.
D.- Large flowers-on a proportionately small plant.
E.- Plant habit - what the plant looks like is often more intriguing than the flowers.
F.- Fragrance -many times the nose will be attracted before the eyes.

FLOWERS

COLOR W -White; V -Violet; G -Green; P -Pink; Y- Yellow; O-Orange; R- Red; B-
Brown; T -Tepals (sepals & petals); L -Lip (noted where it is a different color
than the tepals).

SIZE -Overall Flower diameter expressed in centimeters (2.54 cm = 1 inch). QTY -
Number of flowers per inflorescence. INFL - Inflorescence length in centimeters
and the letters P stand for panicle, a branched raceme; while R stands for a
simple raceme. SEASON - Each month is numbered and the dash means the season
covers between these months.

PLANTS
Size & type - S-Small, 3-4" pot; M-Medium, 5-7" pot; L-Large, 8-10" pot. Type -
P -Psuedobulbous; R -Reed stem. HABIT -E - Evergreen - does not lose its leaves;
D- Deciduous - loses leaves in the dry season; S - semi-evergreen -when dry they
lose their leaves.

CULTURE
Temperature.

H - Hot. These plants come from 0-600 m elevation. They will
tolerate cooler temperature in winter and thrive in hot summers. Temperatures
below 15 degrees C (50 degrees F) will cause a cessation of growth and adversely
affect flowering. Ideally 18 degrees C (65 degrees F) night and up to 32 degrees
C (90 degrees F) day are required.

I -Intermediate. This temperature group covers the majority of species in Mexico. The 1000 m contour appears to be the center of diversification. These plants grow well in average temperatures between, 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) and 27 degrees C (80 degrees F). They are quite tolerant of more extreme temperatures and if grown drier in winter will even tolerate freezes. They come from elevations between 800m and 1600m.

C - Cool growers are normally very difficult to cultivate and are only found at high
altitudes between 1700 and 2700 meters. They commonly inhabit the mountain
peaks, often exposed to full sun, but remember, those peaks are frequently under
dense cloud cover and high, moisture laden winds.

WATER -
A. Water plentiful year round.
B. Water heavy spring summer and fall with light waterings every ten days in winter.
C. Water heavy spring and summer. Maintain a high humidity at least at night during the winter but no water.

MEDIA - In most cases plants will do equally well in pots or on plaques. Where
plaques are preferable a p will note them on the chart and where they are
indispensable a P will note them. Special cases will have an asterisk and
definitions given apart. A "T" will note terrestrial orchids.

LIGHT -
A. Strong sunlight - 30% to 55% shade 7000 to 4500 foot candles.
B. Medium sunlight - 63% to 73% shade 3700 to 2700 foot candles.
C. Weak sunlight -80% to 90% shade 2000 to 1000 foot candles.

LOCALITY

The principal states where epiphytic orchids are found, are indicated by letters
in the last column. The key to these letters is given below.

Southern and Yucatan peninsular states
B = Tabasco; C = Chiapas; E = Campeche; Y = Yucatan; Q = Quintana Roo;

Southern Central states
O = Oaxaca; V = Veracruz; G = Guerrero; P = Puebla; X = Mexico+DF

Northern Pacific Coastal states
M = Michoacan-Colima; J = Jalisco; N = Nayarit

Northern Gulf Coastal and Central states
V = Veracruz; H = Hidalgo; S = San Luis Potosi; T = Tamaulipas