Dichaea pendula (Aubl.) Cogn.

  • 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 pendula (Aubl.) Cogn.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants epiphytic, pendent. Roots filiform. Stems ensheathed by persistent leaf bases. Leaves numerous, commonly overlapping; sheaths 5-8 mm long, 3-5 mm wide; blades lanceolate, acuminate, margins entire except for erose apex, 12-29 mm long, 4-8 mm wide. Inflorescences axillary, single-flowered, produced along the upper half of the stem above and below foliage; peduncle 5-15 mm long; floral bract funnel-like, 2.5-4.5 mm long. Flowers yellowish, resupinate. Dorsal sepal oblong to obovate-elliptic, dorsally papillose, 6-8 mm long, 3.5-4.5 mm wide; lateral sepals elliptic to oblong, acute, 6.5-8.5 mm long, 3.5-5 mm wide. Petals elliptic, acute, 6.5-8 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide. Lip clawed or not, spatulate-elliptic, 6.5-7 mm long, 2-8 mm wide. Column green to orange, stout, 3.5-4 mm long; infrastigmatic ligule present, elongate, pubescent. Fruits ovoid-subglobose, softmuricate, 10-15 mm long.

  • Discussion

    3. Dichaea pendula (Aublet) Cogniaux in Urban, Symb. Ant. 4: 182. 1903. Limodorum pendulum Aublet, Hist. PL Guiane 2: 819, t. 322. 1775. Type. Aublet s.n., from French Guiana, "in sylvis Comitatus de Gene" (illustration reproduction: loc. cit.). Dichaea pendula var. swartzii C. Schweinfurth, Bot. Mus. Leafl. 17: 62. 1955. nom. illeg. Dichaea swartzii (C. Schweinfurth) Garay & Sweet, J. Arnold Arb. 53: 397. 1972. N o type designated. Epidendrum echinocarpum Swartz, Nov. Gen. Sp. PL Prodr. 124. 1788, nom. superl. Dichaea echinocarpa (Swartz) Lindley, Gen. Sp. Orchid. PL 208. 1833. nom. illeg. Type. Swartz s.n., from Jamaica (BM). Phenology & Pollination. Flowers are produced throughout the year and last 1-3 days. Otherwise its pollination biology is unknown. Taxonomic Notes. Our plants were previously reported as Dichaea swartzii by Liogier and Martorell (1982). That name is not only illegitimate but is also synonymous with D. pendula (Folsom, 1987). Illustrations. Martius, 1893-1906; Garay & Sweet, 1974; Folsom, 1987.

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Central America, northern South America, and West Indies.

    Central America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| West Indies|