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. |
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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.
Rhizomes slender
Stem ± scapose
Leaves: basal in rosettes, blades tapered to base, white-veined to -mottled; cauline bract-like
Inflorescence: flowers ± 1-sided or in spiral ranks; flower bract ± = flower
Flower: sepals ± equal, ± enclosing column and lip, upper adherent to lateral petals, forming a hood, lower sepals spreading to reflexed; lateral petals fused; lip generally pouch-like below middle, deeply grooved to tip; column beaked
Fruit ascending to erect
Species in genus: ± 25 species: especially temp n hemisphere, also tropical
Etymology: (John Goodyer, English botanist, 15921664)
Reference: [Ackerman 1975 Madroño 23:191198]