About Bletia purpurea (Lam.) A.DC.
Bletia purpurea, commonly called pine-pink or sharp-petaled bletia, is an orchid species. It is widespread across most of Latin America and the West Indies, and also occurs in Florida. This species grows as a terrestrial plant in swamps, and sometimes grows on logs or stumps located above the high tide mark. Bletia purpurea can grow up to 180 cm (5 feet) in total length. It produces ovoid, egg-shaped pseudobulbs that can reach up to 4 cm (1.6 inches) in diameter. Its leaves are linear or narrowly elliptic, and can grow up to 100 cm (40 inches) long. The flowers are pink, purple, or occasionally white, arranged in racemes or panicles that can hold as many as 80 flowers. The sepals of Bletia purpurea are smaller than the sepals of B. patula, and are usually less than 30 mm (1.2 inches) long.
