LANKESTERIANA


Oakeley, H.F. 2008. Lycaste, Ida and Anguloa. The essential guide. Published by the author, Bekenham, United
Kingdom, and printed by Cambrian Printers, Aberystwyth, U.K. Large 30.5 x 30.5 cm volume, pp. (v) 445, 1400
color photographs. 1st edition published on May, 2008.


 A complete, gorgeously illustrated, superbly printed
and perfectly bound large book represents the long-
waited and ultimate work onLycaste, Ida, and Anguloa
by Henry Francis Oakeley, the recognized specialist
in these orchid groups of increasing horticultural
importance.
 As in his previous, small-sized "essential guide"
to Lycaste (Oakeley 1993), the author claims for
completeness: "If is not in here it has not been
described". In fact, the total numbers of recognized
species, subspecies (varieties in the actual treatment)
and natural hybrid in Lycaste and Ida (both treated
under the former genus in the old guide) are
significantly different in the new, amply augmented
monograph. When split apart into two genera, the
previous work by Oakeley recognized 24 species, 7
subspecies and 8 natural hybrids of Lycaste, and 22
species of Ida. In the present work Lycaste includes
31 species (5 of which are described as new and 4
elevated to specific rank by the author), 33 varieties
(23 new) and one (new) subvariety, and 14 natural
hybrids (7 of which described in this treatment). Ida
has 39 species, 7 of which described in the text, 11
varieties (5 new) and 3 natural hybrids, all newly
proposed in the book. A natural intergeneric hybrid
between Lycaste and Ida is also included: x Lycida
mathiasae. The treatment of Anguloa does not differ
significantly from the recent monographs published
by the author (Oakeley 1999a, 1999b, 1999c, 1999d,
1999e) and, according to Oakeley's guide, the genus
comprises today 9 species, 5 varieties, and 4 natural
hybrids, one of them (Anguloa x speciosa) described
in this volume.
 For each of the nearly 150 species, natural hybrids
and varieties included in the volume, the text provides a
full description, etymology, historical notes, taxonomic
discussion, distribution and voucher citations, and
bibliography. Of these, the chapters on taxonomic
history and bibliographic references are particularly
worthy, amply documented and with frequent, direct
references to the original sources, while the citation
of herbarium specimens is generally of limited use
due the relative paucity of the consulted herbaria.

LANKESTERIANA8(2), August 2008. 0 Unversidad de Costa Rica, 2008.


Species and hybrids are listed alphabetically within
each genus, following a criterion that makes easier to
find any specific taxon, but on the other hand obscures
the phylogenetic relationships among closely related
(albeit alphabetically distant) species. The taxonomic
treatments are preceded by chapters on the history of
the discovery and the introduction of the three genera,
their general and distinguishing features, and artificial
keys to the species of Anguloa, Ida, and Lycaste. An
ample, final chapter is devoted to the cultivation of
the species of these three genera, including accounts
on their pollination and the preparation of herbarium
specimens. Dr. Oakeley is the holder of the National
Plant Collection for Anguloa, Ida and Lycaste in the
United Kingdom, and his more than 50 years long
acquaintance with the growing secrets of these plants
is well evident in this chapter. Two large Appendices
complete the book. The first is devoted to "Synonyms
and errors", and the author enlists over 300 invalid,
misapplied, and synonymous names that plagued the
complex taxonomic history of the involved genera and
have been used at some time but have to be considered
incorrect or redundant. The second Appendix is an
"Annotated bibliography" with almost one thousand
bibliographical citations (including indications of
the presence of plates/pictures/photographs), and
references to relevant websites and travel accounts
involving Anguloa, Ida, and Lycaste in their habitats.
 The taxonomic novelties include the following
new species: Lycaste angelae Oakeley (with var.
alba Oakeley and var. rubra Oakeley), L. crystallina
Wubben ex Oakeley, L. fuscina Oakeley, L. occulta
Oakeley and its var. alba Oakeley, L. panamensis
Fowlie ex Oakeley, Ida angustipetala Oakeley, I.
castanea H. James ex Oakeley, I. ejirii Oakeley, I.
jimenezii Oakeley, I. munaensis Oakeley, I. priscilae
I. Portilla ex Oakeley, and I. shigerui Oakeley. Lycaste
plana 'Measuresiana' B.S. Williams, L. macrophylla
subsp. puntarenasensis Fowlie, L. macrophylla var.
viridescens Oakeley, and L. macrophylla subsp.
xanthocheila Fowlie are elevated to specific rank,
while L. plana Lindl. is sunk under a variety of L.
macrophylla.