Cranichis
Cranichis candida Illustration of Martius ' Flora Brasiliensis
Cranichis is a genus of the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). It consists of more than fifty species of herbaceous plants that are native to South and Central America.
Description
The species of the genus are terrestrial Cranichis growing, horstige plants. The side by side springing roots are fleshy and hairy. The leaves are mostly in a basal rosette, rarely distributed on the shoot. They are fleshy, oval to lanceolate, usually spread with a clear stem, rather upright or arching, flowering time available.
The racemose inflorescence is terminal, erect. The inflorescence axis is hairy, she is busy with a few close fitting bracts. The flowers are rather small, they are not 'upside. The ovary is petiolate and hairy. The three sepals are of a thin texture, formed approximately equal to each other, more or less spread. The lateral petals are much narrower, often ciliate at the edge. The lip is quite fleshy, shell -shaped, simple or lobed, often with striking colored reticulate venation. The column is short to very short, fleshy. At the top of the column sits the large, easy- lobed, surrounded by a raised edge scar. The rostellum between stigma and stamen is straight and pointed. The abaxial stamen sits in a bowl-shaped tissue ( Klinandrium ), it is straight and elongated oval shaped. The four pollinia are club-shaped, the pollen stick to four together ( tetrads ), which in turn stick together in larger, crumbly pieces. The pollinia adhere to a common rounded Viscidium, this sits at the end of Rostellums.
Occurrence
Cranichis comes of Mexico off the north throughout Central America and the Caribbean throughout tropical South America. The greatest diversity is found in the Andes. The species occur at altitudes of 300 to 3,000 meters. They mostly inhabit forests, rare open situations.
Systematics and botanical history
The genus Cranichis was erected in 1788 by Swartz. The name derives from the Greek κράνος Kranos for " helmet " and refers to the curved, in bloom seated at the top lip. Type species is Cranichis muscosa.
Cranichis is classified within the tribe Cranichideae in the subtribe Cranichidinae. There are 54 known species:
- Cranichis acuminatissima Ames & C.Schweinf.
- Cranichis amplectens Dod
- Cranichis antioquiensis Schltr.
- Cranichis apiculata Lindl. in G.Bentham
- Cranichis brachyblephara Schltr.
- Cranichis callifera Garay
- Cranichis calva ( Kraenzl. ) Schltr.
- Cranichis candida ( Barb.Rodr. ) Cogn.
- Cranichis castellanosii L.O.Williams
- Cranichis ciliata Kunth
- Cranichis ciliilabia C.Schweinf.
- Cranichis cochleata Dressler
- Cranichis crumenifera Garay
- Cranichis diphylla Sw.
- Cranichis elliptica Schltr.
- Cranichis engelii Rchb.f.
- Cranichis fendleri Schltr.
- Cranichis foliosa Lindl.
- Cranichis galatea Dod
- Cranichis garayana Dodson & R.Vásquez
- Cranichis gibbosa Lindl.
- Cranichis glandulosa A.Rich. & Galeotti
- Cranichis gracilis L.O.Williams
- Cranichis hassleri Cogn.
- Cranichis hieroglyphica Ames & Correll
- Cranichis lankesteri Ames
- Cranichis lehmanniana ( Kraenzl. ) L.O.Williams
- Cranichis lehmannii Rchb.f.
- Cranichis lichenophila D.Weber
- Cranichis longipetiolata C.Schweinf.
- Cranichis macroblepharis Rchb.f.
- Cranichis mexicana ( A.Rich. & Galeotti ) Schltr.
- Cranichis muscosa Sw.
- Cranichis notata Dressler
- Cranichis nudilabia Pabst
- Cranichis ovata Wickstr.
- Cranichis parvula Renz
- Cranichis picta Rchb.f.
- Cranichis polyantha Schltr.
- Cranichis pulvinifera Garay
- Cranichis reticulata Rchb.f.
- Cranichis revoluta Hamer & Garay
- Cranichis ricartii Ackerman
- Cranichis saccata Ames
- Cranichis scripta Kraenzl.
- Cranichis sparrei Garay
- Cranichis subumbellata A.Rich. & Galeotti
- Cranichis sylvatica A.Rich. & Galeotti
- Cranichis talamancana Dressler
- Cranichis tenuis Rchb.f.
- Cranichis turkeliae Christenson
- Cranichis wageneri Rchb.f.
- Cranichis werffii Garay