Arpophyllum
Arpophyllum giganteum
The genus Arpophyllum from the orchid family (Orchidaceae ) comprises only four species, all of which occur in Central America. The plants grow mostly epiphytic or rock. Because of their beautiful blooms they are occasionally cultivated.
Description
All species of this genus form of a creeping rhizome at a short distance shoots. These are about ten to 20 inches long and only slightly thickened fusiform, they consist of several internodes. Rhizome and shoot are surrounded by membranous, dry Lower leaves. At the top of pseudobulbs per sitting a leaf. The leaves are long, lanceolate and folded along the midrib. They are leathery to fleshy, often curved in an arc.
The inflorescence ( a grape ) appears from a large spathe at the top of the rung. He wears many, not resupinierte, about one to 1.5 centimeters wide petals. The flower color is pink to purple - red. The sepals are oval, the petals are narrower. The lip is ungelappt, slightly serrated edge, at the base of the sides are rolled up around the column. At the base of the lip is fused for a short distance to the column, forming a small sac-like protuberance. The stamen sits at the end of the column, it contains eight oval pollinia. The ovary and the pedicel are studded with glands or black scales.
The red color of the flowers and the gray - blue color of the pollinia leave Dressler pollination by hummingbirds suspect.
Dissemination
The species of the genus Arpophyllum come from Mexico to Central America to Colombia and Venezuela before. Arpophyllum jamaicense occurs in Jamaica. Withner are altitudes of 1400 to 2400 meters for the different species.
System
Within the subfamily Epidendroideae the genus Arpophyllum in the tribe Epidendreae and there in the subtribe Laeliinae is classified. It is a basal group in this subtribe and was developed by Dressler due to the form of pollinia ( oval versus laterally compressed with most other Laeliinae ) placed in a separate subtribe Arpophyllinae. The anatomy of the roots is typical of Laeliinae, a note, which was confirmed by genetic studies.
The name Arpophyllum is composed of the ancient Greek words άρπη " harpe " ( poetic: Sickle ) and φύλλον " phyllon " (leaf) and refers to the sickle-shaped leaves expiring.
The type species Arpophyllum spicatum La Llave & Lex was described in 1825.
Four species, one of which, in turn, split into three subspecies can be distinguished in this genre. The subspecies alpinum and medium of Arpophyllum were giganteum long run as an independent species, while Dressler argues that a continuous spectrum of larger growing in the lowlands exist in smaller growing plants at higher altitudes, which does not permit the delineation of three types. Arpophyllum jamaicense is regarded as a synonym of Withner to Arpophyllum giganteum.
- Arpophyllum giganteum Hartw. ex Lindl.
- Arpophyllum giganteum ssp. alpinum ( Lindl. ) Dressler
- Arpophyllum giganteum ssp. medium ( Rchb.f. ) Dressler
- Arpophyllum giganteum ssp. giganteum
- Arpophyllum jamaicense Schltr.
- Arpophyllum laxiflorum Pfitzer
- Arpophyllum spicatum La Llave & Lex
Documents
- Robert L. Dressler (1993 ): Phylogeny and Classification of the Orchid Family. 191 pp. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-45058-6
- Robert L. Dressler (2000): Mesoamerican Orchid Novelties 3 Add: Novon 10:193-200. Online, accessed on 28 January 2008
- Carl L. Withner (1998): The Cattleyas and Their relatives. Vol 5, pp. 7-11. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon ISBN 0-88192-456-3