Zeuxine strateumatica (L.) Schltr.
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Authority
Ackerman, James D. 1995. An orchid flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 73: 1-203.
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Family
Orchidaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants terrestrial herbs, 4-25 cm tall. Roots short, clustered at the nodes of the subterranean part of the stem and rhizome. Stems erect or ascending from a decumbent base, slender, glabrous, greenish, tinged wih purple or brown. Leaves dark green, 5-12, spirally arranged, sessile, sheathing, erect, linear to narrowly lanceolate, long-acuminate, keeled, 1-9 cm long, 3-8 mm wide. Inflorescences terminal, dense spikes of 8-50 flowers, 1-8 cm long; floral bracts green, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, ca. 15 mm long, 4 mm wide. Flowers white with a prominent yellow lip. Ovary sessile, stout, ca. 7 mm long. Dorsal sepal concave, ovate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 4-7 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; lateral sepals ovate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, obtuse to acute, oblique, 4-6 mm long, 2-3 mm wide. Petals connivent with the dorsal sepal and forming a hood over the column, oblonglanceolate, falcate, 4-6 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, converging with the dorsal sepal. Lip fleshy, adnate to the base of the column, the base concave, pandurate, broadly rounded and dilated at the apex, 4 mm long, 3 mm wide. Column 1.5 mm long; anther scarious, situated between 2 large stigmatic processes; pollinia yellow. Fruits ovoid to ellipsoidal, suberect, ca. 7 mm long. Chromosomes: n = 10, 22; 2n = 44, 44-48.
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Discussion
1. Zeuxine strateumatica (Linnaeus) Schlechter, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 45: 394. 1911. Orchis strateumatica Linnaeus, Sp. PL 943. 1753. Type. P. Herman s.n., from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (not seen). Phenology & Pollination. Plants were collected in flower during October but populations flower from December to January in Florida (C. A. Luer, 1972). Given the weedy nature of these plants, the apparently high fruit set (see C. A. Luer, 1972: pl. 36), and the spontaneous reproduction in greenhouses (O. Ames, 1938), Z. strateumatica is very likely autogamous or apomictic. Notes. Vij and Vohra (1974) did cytomorphologic studies of this species.
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Distribution
General Distribution. Borneo, China, Cuba, India, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka, and southern U.S.A. (Louisiana, Georgia, Florida).
Indonesia Asia| China Asia| Cuba South America| India Asia| Japan Asia| Malaysia Asia| Myanmar Asia| Philippines Asia| Puerto Rico South America| Sri Lanka United States of America North America| Puerto Rico South America|