Cassio van den Berg, who I believe was part of the team that shook up the Laelias, was scheduled to speak on Cattleya and Sophronitis classification, but there was so much to do and so little time I didn't attend (and, if I dare admit it, I'm just not that into cattleyas).
I did attend a talk on that subject by Thomas Mirenda of the Smithsonian at another show within the last couple of months. He talked with van den Berg & team while putting together the talk to keep his information current. At that time, although there was at least one alternative scheme proposed by another group (involving, if my memory and quick search are correct, Dungsia, Hydrolaelia, Microlaelia, and Hoffmannsegella), most people still favored van den Berg & Chase's moving the Brazilian Laelias to Sophronitis (if they really had to go somewhere else), as that both made sense taxonomically and resulted in less(!) confusion than the alternatives. Most breeders, I think, are still crying over the idea of "Sophronitis purpurata" (or "Hydrolaelia purpurata" in the other scheme) ... Sorry I don't recall more of the details. Steve > Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:33:43 +0000 > From: K Barrett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [OGD] WOC Catt changes > > Supposedly the Brazilians were going to present comments on the recent > RHS changes in the Cattleya alliance at the Miami WOC. Maybe present > their own analysis or tree based on genetics or cladistic analysis. > (?) Anyone have any further information? AFAIK there had been some > discussion of renaming the genus for the Brazilian laelias to one that > honored Brazil, but it was hinted that a more in depth assessment or > taxonomic realignment was coming. -- Steve Marak -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
