Eulophia

• 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

  Eulophia R.Br. ex Lindl.

• Description

  Genus Description - Plants sympodial terrestrials or rarely epiphytes. Roots fleshy, glabrous, velamentous. Rhizomes short, stout. Stems cormlike or pseudobulbous. Leaves large, basal, sheathing, plicate. Inflorescence lateral, scapose, erect, a raceme or rarely a panicle, manyflowered. Flowers resupinate. Sepals free; lateral sepals adnate to the column foot. Petals usually smaller, parallel with the column. Lip articulate with column foot, basally saccate or spurred; disc with hairs, keels or papillae. Column cylindrical, winged; foot short, distinct; stigma entire; anther terminal, operculate; pollinia 2, notched or cleft, hard, waxy, on a broad stipe attached to a viscidium. Fruit a capsule.

• Discussion

  Eulophia R. Brown ex Lindley, Bot. Reg. 8: t. 686. 1823. Type species. Eulophia guineensis Lindley of tropical Africa. A pantropical genus of about 200 species, particularly species-rich in Africa. One species occurs in the Neotropics. The generic name refers to the crests of the lip.