Renga renga I.D. help please

23 years ago

I have three Renga Renga plants, store bought. I chose them because they were (at first inspection) the same as my five "mystery" plants. The mystery plabts were given to me by one who said they wer N Z native orchids. They have flowered, three years, with what does look a little like an orchid. Three blooms per stem, white with little mauve spots near the centre of the petals, and yellow in the centres of the blooms. The petal edges are almost frilly, and each bloom is about 3 to 5 cms across.

My dilemma is that when I search for pictures of the renga renga blooms, they seem to be unlike my lovely mystery flowers. (Mind you the pics I've found so far are not in close up, so i can't see anything detailed.)

Does my description of "my" renga renga blooms sound right?

Or, is there really a native orchid like these?

Thanks in advance! - Jolliness

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Comments (6)

Kiwi_oz
23 years ago
I can only put in this link. If your plants have leaves like these it is not a native orchid,
A very good description of the Renga Reanga.
The plants have finished flowering, can you post a pic of yours on the Gallery.
Heather

Here is a link that might be useful: Arthropodium
jolliness
Original Author
23 years ago
I've had a closer look at the plant, and the text descriptions of a Renga Renga's base (clumping, like a flax)don't match my plant.
However, the plant does match the description of a Cattleya orchid. Are there any NZ native cattleyas? I can't even think of where else to look!?
Kiwi_oz
23 years ago
Try this link, scroll down a the left side below journals and there are some pic links.
Heather

Here is a link that might be useful: NZ Orchids
jolliness
Original Author
23 years ago
Thank you for the link - I had no idea NZ orchids are so diverse. But after careful reading and looking at pic's, I think I can say for sure that my neighbour got it wrong. My plants are orchids - cattleyas, I'm also sure - but NOT native.
They are in the bed beneath a red gum, now, with the three identified Renga Rengas in a group, my plants in another group, separated by clumps of decorative grasses. I have a pic of my bloom, but the white glare makes it difficult to clearly see the structure. So I will put up a new photo as soon as I get better photos taken and scanned.
(Note to self: don't use flash when face-on to the white bloom!)

Thanks for all the input.
jolliness
Original Author
23 years ago
It's the "glary" photo, sorry but I can't get to a camera for a while.
Sparaxis
23 years ago
Very definitely a crested iris, most likely I. japonica (not to be confused with Japanese iris I. ensata)
cheers, Jan who grows them in Oz.