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Selected Species -
by Peter Taylor
Coelogyne
moultonii
Coelogyne
moultonii, first
described in 1912
by
J. J. Smith, is a beautiful member of Section
Tomentosae of the genus Coelogyne, closely
related to the better known (on the mid-north coast of NSW at least) Coel.
tomentosa and Coel. rochussenii.
 I
was fortunate to obtain a division of this species some twenty
years ago and grew it successfully in a glasshouse in
Sydney. On relocating to Port Macquarie I parted with
most of my supposedly warm-growing species
as I now grow only in shadehouse conditions. What a
mistake! Coelogyne moultonii went to a new home and I
now realize that it and some other treasures that I parted
with would grow nicely here.
So
my memories of this lovely Coelogyne
species
will have to do.
John
Lindley established the genus Coelogyne
in
1821,
based
on his study of Coelogyne cristata and Coel.
punctulata. There are
approximately one hundred and ninety species and the genus is in the
subtribe Coelogyninae, which includes the increasingly
popular genus
Dendrochilum. The name 'Coelogyne'
derives from the Greek 'koilos' -hollow and 'gyve' - female, and
refers to the deep
stigmatic surface at the front of the flower's
column.
Coelogyne
species
are geographically widespread and are found from South East
Asia (India and Sri Lanka) to Thailand, Indochina, Indonesia the Philippines, New
Guinea and across
to Fiji and Tonga. I imagine that the most widely found
species in Australian collections is the lovely Coel. cristata
(sometimes named Coel. cristata var.
lemoniana, after Sir Charles Lemon in the
1870s).
This
beautiful variety has a pale yellow
lip.
Johannes
Jacobus Smith, the taxonomist who first described Coel.
moultonii, was a horticulturist turned botanist who
found the allure of the orchid species growing in
the forests near the coffee plantation in the Dutch
East Indies which he was employed as inspector too
strong to resist.
He spent
much ofhis working life at the Buitenzorg Botanic Gardens and
wrote many articles and papers on orchid species.
Later, in ill-health, he retired to Holland where he had a
glasshouse filled with
rare orchid treasures. Sadly, during World War II lack
offuel caused him to part with his collection.
He
died in 1947. Coelogyne moultonii originates in Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah) and is
recorded by Clayton (2002) as 'epiphytic or lithophytic in
rocky areas, landslides and lower montane oak-laurel forests
.... on trunks of trees, sometimes lithophytic on mossy
rocks.' The species is dedicated to J. C. Moulton,
curator
of the Sarawak Museum (1905-1915) and later
Chief Secretary to the Governor of Sarawak. Moulton
made a number of expeditions to West
Borneo.
The flowers of the species have a
particular charm, as can be seen in the accompanying
illustration. They are a white/cream colour with
yellowish-brown lips. The flowers have remarkable floral
bracts which give the appearance of a little helmet or
protective shell over each flower.
The
pseudobulbs are cylindrical and slender and each has two
leaves. I grew the species successfully in well-drained
black plastic pots in a sphagnum
moss and polystyrene mix, with a minimum
of 12°C and in dappled sunlight. Coelogyne
moultonii
requires
high humidity and a marginally brief
rest period in winter. Like many other Coelogyne
species, it resented repotting and was
inclined to 'sulk' for some months after potting. If you can
find this species be careful not to over-water during this
'sulking' period.
I
have written before on Coelogyne
species
for this magazine, mentioning Coel.
pandurata, Coel. speciosa and
Coel.
mooreana. They
are all noble species, well worth space in your collection. In
addition to the subject of this article could I suggest
that you also try to locate Coel.
lawrenceana, Coel. xyrekes, Coel. assamica and
Coel.
schultesii as
additions which will give you much pleasure to grow and
flower.
Peter
Taylor Port
Macquarie, NSW
©
Peter Taylor and Australian Orchid Council Inc 2007
Originally
published in "Orchids Australia" April 2007.
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