Neomoorea wallisii (prev. irrorata) Rolfe
This is a compilation of several articles by R Jenny, published in ‘Die Orchidee’.
In the year 1890, Robert A. Rolfe described, under the name of Moorea irrorata one of the most charming and beautiful orchids. He published his description 1890 in the ‘Gardener’s Chronicle’ and applied the genus name in honour of Mr. F.C. Moore, the curator of the Botanical Garden in Glasnevin, Dublin. Fourteen years later, advised by Mr. Stapf, he changed the name to “Neomoorea” because this first name had already been applied earlier to some Pampas grass.
In 1991, Dr. Jenny and Mr. Lückel, during research on Lueddemannia species in the Reichenbach Herbarium in Vienna, looked (among other plants) at the type specimen of Lueddemannia wallisii and realized that this species did not fit into that genus but rather matched the descriptions of Neomoorea. Reichenbach had dealt with the Lueddemannia in 1877 in the publication ‘Linnea’ as part of a shipment from New Granada (today’s Colombia). He furnished a thorough description, besides remarks about the colour of the flower and the plant habit from material received in January 1874. The herbarium sheet contains, besides a few dried flowers, a drawing by Reichenbach with this date. There is no doubt that this is the same plant which Rolfe described later (1890) as the new Moorea – later Neomoorea, giving this plant its own genus.
 Neomoorea wallisii |
We (Jenny et al.) found it incredible that the true identity of Lueddemannia wallisii had escaped Rolfe and all other botanists for so many years and re-checked all the relevant materials and documents. Indeed, Schlechter had noticed it in 1924, sent a notice to the ‘Orchid Review’ and had published it there with the correct name as Neomoorea wallisii (Rchb.f.). However, this was again overlooked for 67 years. Finally, in a recent publication, the third volume of “Native Colombian Orchids” the correct name is applied.
One comforting thought – this name change will not have any other ramifications because so far, not a single hybrid with this species has been registered. It is a monotypic member of the Subtribe Maxillarieae and rare in the wilds, rarer in cultivation. This is not because the plant is difficult to grow but it is quite large and also difficult to bloom. An inflorescence may grow to 70 cm tall and have about 20 or more large (6 cm) orange flowers. There have been several AOS awards bestowed on this species, mostly as CCM: Cultural Merit. The plant grows warm with medium light, regular water and fertilizer in the summer and a brief, cooler, dry and shady period in the winter. You can find several articles in the orchid literature, for instance by R. Jenny, Senghas & Bockemühl, Epstein, Teuscher, Pridgeon and Fowlie. Recently, this stately orchid has also been imported from Panama. It grows in mountainous areas between 1,000 to 2,000 meters in very wet forests together with Acineta humboldtii, Phragmipedium caudatum and Anguloa ruckeri. If you do find one offered for sale and you have the space – try it and stand back when those stems start to grow! My friend Judy who works in the City of Winnipeg Conservatory tells me that the Neomoorea which had never given me a single blossom, flowered very well in Manitoba and even had a delicious scent.
Ingrid Schmidt-Ostrander - Canadian Orchid Congress