Agrostophyllum

Agrostophyllum philippinense

The genus Agrostophyllum from the orchid family (Orchidaceae ) consists of 91 species. The plants grow mostly epiphytic, they are found in tropical Asia.

Description

The Agrostophyllum species possess a crawling, occasionally branched rhizome from which arise the individual rung at short intervals. These are unthickened, they consist of numerous internodes and two lines are densely covered with leaves. The leaves are oval to narrow lanceolate. The leaf base includes the shoot, so that it is completely hidden by the leaf bases, there is a separating tissue between leaf base and leaf blade. The terminal inflorescences consist of several mutually doldenartig approximate grapes. However, the single grape comprising one to six flowers, the whole inflorescence usually contains many flowers, in some species only a few or even a single flower. The mostly small flowers are white, cream or yellowish, often with a reddish drawing. The three outer petals are broad, the petals are narrower. The lip is divided by a transverse elevation in two sections. The first, basal section ( Hypochil ) is recessed bowl-shaped and often contains two calluses. The column bears the large, rounded, scar and a fertile stamen. The stamen contains eight pollinia, which are connected by short stalks ( Caudiculae ) with a viscid ( Viscidium ). Between scar and stamen there is an approximately triangular shaped separating tissue ( rostellum ).

Dissemination

The species of the genus Agrostophyllum are widespread in tropical Asia. Westward they reach even the Seychelles and Madagascar, in the east, the range extends as far as Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu. Most species are native to New Guinea.

There are epiphytic, rarely lithophytic growing plants.

Systematics and botanical history

The genus Agrostophyllum was erected in 1825 by Carl Ludwig Blume. Dressler puts them in a subtribe Glomerinae within the so-called Epidendreae II Also included in this subtribe he represents the genera Aglossorhyncha, Earina, glomera, Glossorhyncha, Ischnocentrum and Sepalosiphon. Two other related genera, Adrorhizon and Sirhookera, it separates from the subtribe Adrorhizinae. A study by van den Berg et al. found that of all the name-giving genus glomera is not closely related to other plants; Agrostophyllum is summarized in this study together with Earina as subtribe Agrostophyllinae.

Documents

The information of this article come from mainly:

  • Jim B. Comber: Orchids of Java. Bentham - Moxon Trust, Kew, 1990, ISBN 0-947643-21-4, pp. 189-192.
  • Xinqi Chen, Zhu Guanghua, Ji Zhanhe, long Kaiyong, Luo Yibo, Phillip Cribb: Orchidaceae (draft ). In: Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven (eds.): Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis 1994 ( eFloras.org, accessed on 06.08.2008 ).

Moreover, quoting:

Postgraduate

  • List of Orchid Genera
Epidendroideae Labellum (botany) Stigma (botany) Pollinium Aglossorrhyncha List of natural Orchidaceae genera
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