Habenaria alata Hook.

  • 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

    Habenaria alata Hook.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants slender, terrestrials to 70 cm tall. Roots several, villous, 0.5-1.5 mm diam. Stems erect, mostly covered by leaf sheaths, 3-5 mm diam. Leaves 5-9, cauline; blades lanceolate, acuminate, to 15 cm long, 2.3 cm wide. Inflorescences densely few- to many flowered racemes, 2-15 cm long; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, not exceeding the flowers. Flowers greenish yellow, resupinate. Pedicellate ovary 9-15 mm long. Sepal margins papillose; dorsal sepal erect, ovate, acute, 5-8 mm long, 4-6 mm wide; lateral sepals spreading, elliptic-ovate, acuminate, oblique, 6-8 mm long, 4 mm wide. Petals fleshy, basal lobe minute, otherwise lanceolate, 5-6 mm long, 2 mm wide. Lip fleshy, usually with a pair of basal teeth, otherwise simple, linear-lanceolate, to 8 mm long, 2 mm wide; basal spur linear to subclavate, arcuate, 9-13 mm long. Column ca. 2.5 mm long; stigmas 1.5-2 mm long, lateral to and below the spur opening; pollinia clavate, attached to separate viscidia by caudicles 1-1.5 mm long. Fruits, erect, prominently winged, 1-1.5 cm long.

  • Discussion

    6. Habenaria alata Hooker, Exot. FL 3: pl. 169. 1826. Type. Guilding s.n., from St. Vincent (K). Phenology & Pollination. The plants bloom in the late summer to early fall. Pollinators and breeding system are unknown.

  • Distribution

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

    Central America| Mexico North America| South America| West Indies| Puerto Rico South America| United States Virgin Islands South America|