Dichaea

• Authority

  Ackerman, James D. 1995. An orchid flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 73: 1-203.

• Family

  Orchidaceae

• Scientific Name

  Dichaea

• Description

  Distribution and Ecology - Plants monopodial, epiphytic or lithophytic. Roots velamentous. Stems erect to laxly pendent, enclosed by distichous imbricating sheaths. Leaves articulate, numerous, conduplicate, distichous, sheaths persistent, blades often deciduous on older portions of stem. Inflorescences axillary, single-flowered. Flowers resupinate, small. Sepals and petals free, spreading. Lip clawed, attached to a short column foot, apex expanded, often anchor-shaped. Column short, stout; stigma entire, base often extended into a ligule; anther terminal, operculate; pollinarium composed of 4, hard, waxy pollinia attached to a short stipe and viscidium. Fruit a capsule, often echinate

• Discussion

  Dichaea Lindley, Gen. Sp. Orchid. PL 208. 1833. Type species. Dichaea echinocarpa (Swartz) Lindley based on Epidendrum echinocarpum Swartz (= Dichaea pendula (Aublet) Cogniaux) of the West Indies, Central America, and northern South America. A neotropical genus of about 52 species. The generic name refers to the two-ranked foliage of all species of the genus. Special Literature. Folsom, 1987.