Physogyne

Physogyne is a genus of the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). It contains only three kinds, which are used in Mexico.

Description

The Physogyne species are small herbaceous plants. The roots stand together in bunches, they are fleshy, fusiform tuberous thickened and hairy. The leaves are in a basal rosette. The leaf blade is reverse - lanceolate to oval, it ends pointed at the base, it is wedge- shape into a petiole. In its heyday, the leaves begin to wilt.

The racemose inflorescence is many flowered, the small flowers are loose together. Especially at the top of the inflorescence axis is hairy glandular. The bracts are at intervals or envelop the peduncle completely. The flowers are whitish, yellow on the lip also. The ovary is cylindrical to spindle-shaped, sessile, scarcely twisted. The sepals are shaped, approximately parallel to each other and standing adjacent to each other. The dorsal sepal is bent about from its center to the top. The lateral sepals are fused at the base into a small recess. The petals are spatulate, at its base slightly asymmetric, with the inner edge of the dorsal sepal adherent. The lip is narrowed abruptly at the base for a short distance ( nailed ), the nail has grown into the overgrown part of the sepals. The lamina of the lip is heart-shaped at the base, narrowing to a pair of rearwardly facing nectar glands on both sides of the nail, to the front. The column is straight, slightly club-shaped, semi-circular in cross-section, hairy on the underside. It goes beyond the approach on the ovary and forms a short pedestal. The stamen is surrounded by a membranous, deep pocket-like tissue of the column ( Klinandrium ). The stamen is oval to lanceolate, pointed toe, heart-shaped at the base. While most representatives of Spiranthinae have two longitudinally furrowed pollinia, there are at Physogyne four club-shaped pollinia, which on a small, oval viscid disc ( Viscidium ) depend. The scar is semi-circular or elliptical with zweilappiger tip. The separation between scar tissue and stamen ( rostellum ) long triangular to linear, stiff and pointed ending.

Occurrence

All species of the genus Physogyne occur in Mexico. They colonize altitudes 1000-1700 meters. They occur in tropical laubabwerfendem forest or oak-pine forests.

Systematics and botanical history

Physogyne is classified within the tribe Cranichideae in the subtribe Spiranthinae. The genus was described in 1982 by Leslie Garay. The name comes from the Greek words φυσάω physao, " bloat " and γυνἠ gyne, "woman", and refers to the Klinandrium.

Burns Balogh distributed species of the genus Physogyne to the genera Schiedeella and Pseudogoodyera. Szlachetko and Rutkowski claimed a kinship with Stenorrhynchos due to external similarities. The actual relationships are unclear.

The following species are included in genus Physogyne:

• Physogyne garayana R.González & Szlach.
• Physogyne gonzalezii ( LOWilliams ) Garay - type species -
• Physogyne sparsiflora ( C.Schweinf. ) Garay