TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Perennial, terrestrial in CA, some nongreen, generally from rhizomes
Leaves linear to ± round or scale-like, generally sessile
Inflorescence: generally raceme or spike, bracted
Flower bisexual, bilateral, sometimes spurred; sepals generally 3, generally petal-like, generally free, uppermost generally erect; petals 3, lowest different ("lip"); stamen generally 1, fused with style and stigma into column, pollen generally sticky, generally removed as sessile anther sacs; ovary inferior, generally twisted 180° (so lip appears to be lowest perianth segment), 1-chambered, placentas 3, parietal; stigmas 3, generally under column tip
Fruit: capsule
Seeds very many, minute
Genera in family: ± 800 genera, ± 18,000 species: especially tropical (worldwide except deserts). Many cultivated for ornamental, especially Cattelya, Cymbidium, Epidendrum, Oncidium, Paphiopedalum; Vanilla planifolia fruits used as source of food flavoring
Reference: [Luer 1975 Orchids US and Can, NY Bot Garden; Coleman 1995 Wild Orchids of California, Cornell Univ.]
Nongreen plants derive nutrition through fungal intermediates.
Stem leafy, often puberulent above
Leaves: basal 12, < cauline; cauline lanceolate to ovate, often ribbed
Inflorescence: flowers 1several; bracts ± leaf-like
Flower: lower sepals ± fused, pendent behind lip; lateral petals descending to spreading, ± like upper sepal, sometimes twisted; lip balloon-like, generally obovoid, mouth ± puckered, margin inrolled; column curved over lip mouth; stamens 2, separated by petal-like staminode
Fruit pendent to spreading, ribbed
Species in genus: ± 35 species: temp North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: Venus foot, from lip shape)
Some cultivated for ornamental.
Native |
Plant 1220 cm
Leaves 2, ± basal, ± opposite, 512 cm, widely elliptic
Inflorescence: flowers 14, ± clustered, ± nodding
Flower: upper sepal 1.52.5 cm, lanceolate, greenish to brown, veins dark brown; lateral petals 1525 mm, lanceolate, descending; lip 815 mm, yellow-green below, purple above; staminode < 5 mm, pale (greenish) yellow
Ecology: Open coniferous forest
Elevation: 1001700 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, n Sierra Nevada, sw San Francisco Bay Area
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Colorado
Horticultural information: In cultivation.