Bletia purpurea (Lam.) DC.

  • Family

    Orchidaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Bletia purpurea (Lam.) DC.

  • Primary Citation

    Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 9: 97-98. 1841

  • Basionym

    Limodorum purpureum Lam.

  • Common Names

    pinepink, Bletia común, pinepink

  • Description

    Author: Catherine V. Bainbridge

    Description: Terrestrial herbs, with ovoid gladiolus-like corms. Leaves few, petiolate; blades plicate, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, 40-70 x 2-3.7 cm, deciduous and often absent at time of flowering. Inflorescences erect, racemose, to ca. 135 cm long, usually branching, bearing many flowers, flowering consecutively from base upward. Flowers rose pink to purple; dorsal sepal elliptic to oblong, 12-17 x 4.5-6 mm; lateral sepals similar to dorsal sepal, but recurving apically; lateral petals elliptic-ovate, 12-15 x ca. 6 mm, incurving towards column; lip subtruncate or broadly rounded, 11-14 x 9-14 mm, the base subcordate, deeply trilobed, midlobe obcordate, to ca. 5 x 4-5 mm, with several conspicuous lamellae, the base unguiculate; free portion of lateral lobes rounded, ca. 3 x 2.5 mm; column 8 mm long, with conspicuous foot, 1.5-2 mm long; pollinia 8, laterally flattened or subclaviform, relatively soft.

    Common names: The purple bletia (US), pine pink (US), candelaria (Cuba). A local common name is not recorded for this species.

    Distribution: Southeastern United States (Florida), Mexico to Brazil, and the Antilles from 50 to 1250 m.

    Ecology: In moist to wet forests, often found on rocky slopes and outcrops.

    Phenology: Flowers observed in Apr, May, Nov, and Dec.

    Pollination: Pollination by bees is reported for Bletia (Dressler, 1981).

    Dispersal: Wind dispersed.

    Taxonomic notes: Not recorded.

    Conservation: CITES II - species not listed (UNEP-WCMC Species Database 2005).

    Uses: Limited cultivation as ornamental.

    Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the coloration of the flowers.

  • Floras and Monographs

    Bletia purpurea (Lam.) DC.: [Book] Britton, Nathaniel L. & Millspaugh, Charles F. 1920. The Bahama Flora.

    Bletia purpurea (Lam.) DC.: [Article] Schweinfurth, Charles. 1967. Orchidaceae of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 14: 69-214.