Campylocentrum filiforme (Sw.) Cogn.

  • 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

    Campylocentrum filiforme (Sw.) Cogn.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants inconspicuous leafless epiphytes. Roots gray-green, numerous, fascicled, 1-2 mm diam., most attached to substrate. Stems erect, much reduced, leafless, less than 1 cm long, hidden by roots. Inflorescences axillary, subsessile, racemose, less than 1 cm long, several-flowered; floral bracts scarious, entire, ovate, 1.5 mm long. Flowers whitish, sparsely glandulose, subsessile, distichously produced. Sepals oblong-ovate, obtuse, 1.5 m long, 0.75 mm wide. Petals ligulate, apiculate, slightly smaller. Lip simple, broadly orbicular-ovate, 2 mm long, basal spur obovoid, less than 1.5 mm long. Column short. Fruits green, asymmetric, cylindrical, sometimes slightly curved, 13-14 mm long, 3-4 mm diam.

  • Discussion

    5. Campylocentrum filiforme (Swartz) Cogniaux ex Kuntze, Revis. Gen. PL 3(2): 298. 1898. Epidendrum filiforme Swartz, Nov. Gen. Sp. PL Prodr. 126. 1788. Harrisella filiformis (Swartz) Cogniaux in Urban, Symb. Ant. 6: 687. 1910. Type. O. Swartz s.n., from Hispaniola (BM, G ) . Fig. 7. Aeranthus monteverdi Reichenbach f., Flora 48: 279. 1865. Campylocentrum monteverde (Reichenbach f.) Rolfe, Orchid Rev. 11: 247. 1903. Harrisella monteverdi (Reichenbach f.) Cogniaux in Urban, Symb. Ant. 6: 687. 1910. Type. C. Wright 1497. from Cuba (holotype, W ; isotypes, N Y not seen, K, K-L). Phenology & Pollination. Plants flower in the winter, and fruits develop through the summer. Its pollination biology is unknown. Taxonomic Notes. This species has been a source of considerable confusion. Various authors (e.g., Sauleda & Adams, 1990) have considered this species synonymous with Harrisella porrecta (Reichenbach f.) Fawcett & Rendle, q.v. Although both species are "leafless," an examination of the types indicated that they do not belong to the same genus. In fact, Campylocentrum filiforme is the same as Reichenbach's C. monteverde. Epidendrum filiforme is not one of O. Swartz's names indicated by an asterisk in his Prodromus and was therefore based on his own collections, not those held by J. Banks (Nicolson & Jarvis, 1990).

  • Distribution

    General Distribution. Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.

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