Scaphyglottis modesta (Rchb.f.) Schltr.
-
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 glabrous, erect epiphytes or lithophytes to 50 cm tall. Roots slender, ca. 1 mm wide. Stems terete, superposed, sections between paired leaves 4-11 cm long, the lower portions covered with scarious tubular sheaths. Leaves linear to linear-lanceolate, acute, 5-15 cm long, 9-20 mm wide. Inflorescences short, concealed by scarious bracts, fasciculate from axils of paired leaves, less than 10 mm long, few-flowered; floral bracts scarious, partially concealing the developing fruits. Flowers yellowish green with maroon suffusion, fleshy, glabrous, resupinate. Pedicellate ovary to 7 mm long. Dorsal sepal ovate-elliptic, acute to obtuse, to 6.5 mm long, 4 mm wide; lateral sepals similar, oblique, adnate to the column foot and forming a mentum. Petals oblong-elliptic, rounded, to 5 mm long, 2 mm wide. Lip attached to the column foot, trilobed, to 6 mm long, 4 mm wide when spread; lateral lobes small, rounded; middle lobe elliptic-oblong; disc callus bilobed. Column semiterete, apically winged, ca. 4 mm long; column foot ca. 1 mm long; pollinia attached to elongate caudicles. Fruits ellipsoidal, beaked, 7-10 mm long.
-
Discussion
1. Scaphyglottis modesta (Reichenbach f.) Schlechter, Feddes Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 23: 46. 1926. Tetragamestus modestus Reichenbach f., Bonplandia 2: 21. 1854. Ponera modesta (Reichenbach f.) Reichenbach f., Linnaea 41: 85. 1876. Type. Jost s.n., from tropical America (W, not seen). Phenology & Pollination. Plants bloom in the spring and summer. Its pollinators and breeding system are unknown. Taxonomic Notes. Scaphyglottis modesta is sometimes placed in the genus Tetragamestus (Cogniaux, 1909-1910; Britton & Wilson, 1924; Dunsterville & Garay, 1979). The latter is not recognized by others (e.g., Dodson & Dodson, 1980; Dressier, 1981), which is the approach I take because of the current ambiguity in the delimitation of genera within the Scaphyglottis complex. Illustrations. Martius, 1893-1906; Foldats, 1970; Dunsterville & Garay, 1979.
-
Distribution
General Distribution. Cuba, Hispaniola, Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and northern South America to Ecuador.
Cuba South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| West Indies| Puerto Rico South America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Brazil South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America|