My --Stanhopea saccata-- is blooming nicely. The tag says the flowers smell like cinnamon.
They reek of mothballs to my nose.
BTW, my mother and sister in Apopka, FL are OK. They got over 15 inches of rain, but they are on elevated ground, so they had no flooding.
J. Del Col
Don't know about the Stanhopea, but I'm glad your family is okay. Many have had less luck.
Diana
Ditto that I'm happy your family is OK. 4 landfalls is a record, no?
As to the stanhopea I've noticed the same thing in cattleyas, that the first fragarence to hit your nose is sweet then later its either old melons or mothballs.
I have no idea if the mothball fragarence is particularly attractive to male euglossine bees. I know Lankersteriana published a few article in Spanish, but alas I don't read Spanish very well anymore. I *think* Rudolph Jenny did an article in 'Orchids' a month or two ago, but really, Google is your friend. Nina Rach from Houston has the Stanhopea pages and a quick email to her would probably yeild a good response.
K Barrett
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