The problem of P. ecuadorense seems to have been compounded. Unsuspectingly, I bought a Phrag labeled Olaf Gruss. It is very nice, now in bloom, & seems very suited to my present conditions (I use dehumidifier or rain water all winter). However, in the meantime the taxonomists decided that ecuadorense is only a variety of P. pearcei & not a separate species. Therefore, due to the rule of priority, Julian Shaw informed me that P. pearcei x besseae = Ecua-Bess, and P. Olaf Gruss is a synonym. However, I recently noticed that on the RHS Web site, Ecua-Bess is still listed as pearcei x ecuadorense. I asked Julian why he didn't change it. He just told me that they now think ecuadorense and/or pearcei are actually natural hybrids, so the whole thing is up in the air. Anybody know any more about this? To make matters worse, someone recently gave me a "true" Ecua-Bess. I'm waiting for it to bloom, but I've been told there is no significant difference between them. Lindley had it all wrong. The taxonomists drive the orchid growers crazy. (I know they don't mean to; it's the fallout.) Iris
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