Polystachya foliosa (Hook.) Rchb.f.
-
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
-
Description
Species Description - Plants caespitose terrestrials, lithophytes or epiphytes. Roots numerous, 2-3 mm diam. Stems pseudobulbous, inconspicuous, covered by leaf sheaths, composed of several internodes, less than 1 cm long. Leaves 2-4 per shoot, thin, linear-elliptic, acute to obtuse, to 20 cm long, 4-26 mm wide. Inflorescences terminal, peduncle concealed by dry tubular sheaths, racemose or, if paniculate, the branches usually secund, total length to 35 cm but i usually shorter, many-flowered; floral bracts lanceolate, aciculate, spreading, 1-2 mm long. Flowers yellowish green to greenish white, small, nonresupinate. Pedicellate ovary 5-7 mm long. Dorsal sepal ovate, acute, 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; lateral sepals triangular-ovate, acute to short-acuminate, slightly gibbose where attached to the column foot, 2.5-3.5 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide. Petals linear, slightly shorter than the dorsal sepal and less than 1 mm wide. Lip simple to trilobed, attached to column foot, 2-3 .am long, when simple, irregularly crenate, oblongovate, rounded, retuse, when trilobed, lateral lobes triangularfalcate; middle lobe oblong-subquadrate, rounded, retuse; disc callus oblong, densely farinose (pseudopollen). Column to 1.5 mm long; column foot 1 mm long or less. Fruits brown at maturity, ellipsoidal, 5-9 mm long.
-
Discussion
2. Polystachya foliosa (Hooker) Reichenbach f., Ann. Bot. Syst. 6: 640. 1863. Stelis foliosa Hooker, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 2: 330, pi. 17. 1839. Type. Parker s.n., from Guyana (holotype, cited for K in Garay & Sweet, 1974, but could not be located; lectotype designated by Sauleda & Adams, 1979: pl. 17 in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 2. 1839). Fig. 75. Polystachya cerea Lindley, Edward's Bot. Reg. 26: Misc. p. 86, no. 208. 1840. Type. Loddiges s.n., from Oaxaca, Mexico (holotype, K-L). Polystachya minor Fawcett & Rendle, J. Bot. 48: 106. 1910. Type. Harris 7777, from Lancaster, Jamaica, 15 Sep 1899 (holotype, BM). Phenology & Pollination. The plants bloom mostly in the fall and winter. The production of many fruits by every inflorescence is probably a consequence of self-pollination.
-
Distribution
General Distribution. Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, tropical South America, and West Indies.
Belize Central America| Costa Rica South America| El Salvador Central America| Honduras Central America| Mexico North America| Nicaragua Central America| Panama Central America| West Indies|