Odontorrhynchus
Odontorrhynchus is a genus of the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). It contains six species that are widespread in the South American Andes.
Description
The Odontorrhynchus species are small herbaceous plants that grow terrestrially. The roots stand together in bunches, they are fleshy, cylindrical or fusiform thickened to bulbous. The leaves are in a basal rosette, flowering time, they are often already wilted. The leaves are short-stalked, the leaf blade is oval, leaf margin may be slightly translucent.
The racemose inflorescence is, especially in the upper part, hairy. He is enveloped by tubular to lanceolate bracts, most of which can be formed lower foliage leaf-like. The leaf margin of bracts, and bracts is fringed or ciliated. The ovary is only indistinctly petiolate, skew spindle-shaped and more or less twisted, covered with short hairs. The numerous, closely spaced flowers are small, their color is whitish or greenish, with yellow shares on the lip. The flowers are tubular and are horizontal. The sepals are hairy on the outside, they are approximately parallel to each other to form a tube, only the tips are curved slightly outwardly. The dorsal sepal is even; the lateral sepals sit with asymmetrical base on the column, and there form a depression, but are not fused together. The petals are linear, above the middle at the widest, with the inner edge of the dorsal sepal adherent, the margins are ciliate or slightly toothed. The base of the lip is sitting or something nailed nectar glands on its edge have grown free or under the leaf surface. The lamina is rinnig, the sides are bent up and adhere to the column. On the lip, two fleshy keels can be located, the front edge is slightly irregular in shape or wavy. The column is rather short, it goes beyond a piece of the joint with the ovary and forms a short pedestal. It is club-shaped and may be hairy on the underside. The scar is a transverse to the column axis, oval or bilobed area. The stamen is oval - shaped hood, heart-shaped front with a membranous tip, at the base. It is surrounded by a thin tissue of the column ( Klinandrium ). The bright yellow pollinia are club-shaped, longitudinally grooved, they hang on an oval to tongue-shaped Klebdrüse ( Viscidium ). The separation between scar tissue and stamen ( rostellum ) is cartilaginous, broadly triangular, pointed apexes in a slightly three-lobed or tridentate end. The Viscidium surrounds the sheath-like rostellum or sitting in a large, v -shaped front pit of Rostellums. The capsule fruit is oval.
Occurrence
Odontorrhynchus comes in South America from Bolivia in the north, Peru and Argentina to Chile in the south before. The species occur in temperate south before at lower elevations, rising further north at altitudes of 3000 meters. They grow in open woods, thickets and grasslands, often in open, rocky places.
Systematics and botanical history
Odontorrhynchus is classified within the tribe Cranichideae in the subtribe Spiranthinae. The genus was described in 1953 by Maevia Noemi Correa. The name comes from the Greek words ὀδούς odonthos, "tooth", and ῥύγχος rhynchos, "beak ", together. It refers to the toothed rostellum. Type species is Odontorrhynchus castillonii, named as Stenorrhynchos before Correa's publication of the new genus.
The genus Odontorrhynchus resembles externally the genera Brachystele, Thelyschista and Sauroglossum. According to studies of DNA at least Odontorrhynchus variabilis is closely related to Pelexia.
The following species are included in genus Odontorrhynchus:
- Odontorrhynchus alticola Garay
- Odontorrhynchus castillonii ( Hauman ) M.N.Correa
- Odontorrhynchus domeykoanus Szlach.
- Odontorrhynchus erosus Szlach.
- Odontorrhynchus monstrosus Szlach.
- Odontorrhynchus variabilis Garay