Schomburgkia was a genus of plants belonging to the family Orchidaceae. This genus was named for Richard Schomburgk, a German botanist who explored British Guiana during the 19th century. Former species of this genus were either epiphytic or lithophytic in their growth habit. According to the Royal Horticultural Society Schom. was the official abbreviation for this genus.
The genus was named in 1838 by Lindley, with Schomburgkia crispa, a large sized, hot growing plant found in the tropical areas of Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, as the type species. In 1941, Schom. crispa was moved to the genus Laelia by L.O.Williams. Its accepted name is now Laelia marginata. The member species of Schomburgkia have since been moved to different genera: Myrmecophila, Laelia, and Pseudolaelia.
Former species Schomburgkia albopurpurea (W.H.W.Strachan ex Fawc.) Withner, Grand Cayman Island, now Myrmecophila albopurpurea (W.H.W.Strachan ex Fawc.) Nir Schomburgkia brysiana Lem, now Myrmecophila brysiana (Lem.) G.C.Kenn Schomburgkia crispa Lindl. (Brazil) : type species, now Laelia marginata Schomburgkia elata Schltr., now Laelia elata (Schltr.) J.M.H.Shaw Schomburgkia exaltata Kraenzl., Central America, now Myrmecophila exaltata (Kraenzl.) G.C. Kenn. Schomburgkia galeottiana A.Rich., now Myrmecophila galeottiana (A.Rich.) Rolfe Schomburgkia gloriosa Rchb.f., now Laelia gloriosa (Rchb.f.) L.O.Williams Schomburgkia grandiflora (Lindl.) Sander, now Myrmecophila grandiflora (Lindl.) & J.L.Tapia & I.Ramirez Schomburgkia heidii , now Laelia heidii (Carnevali) Van den Berg Schomburgkia humboldtii (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f., Central America, now Myrmecophila humboldtii (Rchb.f) Rolfe Schomburgkia lueddemannii Prill., now Laelia lueddemannii (Prill.) L.O.Williams Schomburgkia lyonsii Lindl., now Laelia lyonsii (Lindl.) L.O.Williams Schomburgkia marginata Lindl., now Laelia marginata (Lindl.) L.O.Williams Schomburgkia moyobambae Schltr., now Laelia moyobambae (Schltr.) C.Schweinf. Schomburgkia rosea Linden ex Lindl. (Colombia), now Laelia rosea (Linden ex Lindl.) C.Schweinf. Schomburgkia schultzei Schltr., now Laelia schultzei (Schltr.) J.M.H.Shaw Schomburgkia splendida Schltr., now Laelia splendida (Schltr.) L.O.Williams Schomburgkia superbiens (Lindl.) Rolfe, now Laelia superbiens Lindl. Schomburgkia thomsoniana Rchb.f., Cayman Islands, now Myrmecophila thomsoniana (Rchb.f) Rolfe Schomburgkia thomsoniana var. atropurpurea Hook.f., Grand Cayman, now Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. thomsoniana Schomburgkia thomsoniana var. minor Hook.f., nom. illeg., now Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. minor (W.H.W.Strachan ex Fawc.) Dressler Schomburgkia tibicinis (Bateman ex Lindl.) Bateman, Central America, now Myrmecophila tibicinis (Bateman ex Lindl.) Rolfe Schomburgkia undulata Lindl. Costa Rica to Trinidad, now Laelia undulata (Lindl.) L.O.Williams Schomburgkia vellozicola Hoehne SE Brazil, now Pseudolaelia vellozicola (Hoehne) Porto & Brade Schomburgkia wallisii] Rchb.f. Columbia, now Laelia colombiana J.M.H.Shaw Schomburgkia weberbaueriana] Kraenzl. (Bolivia; Peru), now Laelia weberbaueriana (Kraenzl.) C.Schweinf. Schomburgkia wendlandii (Rchb.f.) H.G.Jones, Central America, now Myrmecophila wendlandii (Rchb.f.) G.C.Kenn.
See also Laelia Myrmecophila - a very near genus Pseudolaelia
References
Missouri Botanical Garden w3 TROPICOS The World Checklist of Monocotyledons AOS article, including the taxonomic change for this genus
External links Royal Horticultural Society: Registration of Orchids