Encyclia

Encyclia diurna

The genus Encyclia from the orchid family (Orchidaceae) comprises about 120 species of plants that are found in South and Central America. It is perennial, epiphytic or lithophytic growing plants.

Description

The species of the genus Encyclia grow sympodial, the pseudobulbs are in short intervals on a creeping rhizome. From the rhizome to the roots, which are surrounded by a four to eight cell layers thick velamen. The existing of an internode pseudobulbs are round, ovoid to cigar-shaped. At their head usually sit two, rarely only one or up to four leaves. The leaves are lanceolate and folded along the midrib, leathery to fleshy, rarely also with almost round leaf cross section.

The most Rispige, sometimes racemose, rarely bloom inflorescence appears without spathe at the top of the rung. The fragrant flowers are 'upside. The color of the sepals and petals are often greenish- brown, rare pink to purple. The inner petals are similarly shaped to the outer three. The lip is usually white or light pink, colored with dark pink veins. The lip is three-lobed, the side lobes are bent upwards and enclose the column. From the base of the lip, a mostly two-row callus extends to the middle lobe. The lip is grown free or only at the base of the column. This is club-shaped, winged at the top often - this lip appendages grip the lip on the strait between lateral and middle lobes. The stamen sits at the end of the column and contains four equal pollinia.

The capsule fruit is spindle-shaped and round in cross-section.

The pollinating insects have not been observed, the shape of the flower is, however, concluded that these bees attract without providing for nectar.

The known chromosome numbers be 2n = 40

Dissemination and locations

The species of the genus Encyclia are located throughout most of the Neotropics. The northernmost deposits are located in Mexico, throughout Central America and the Caribbean is populated, the area extends southward to southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

Most species are epiphytes seasonally dry forests, others are found in more humid forests, some have adapted to almost desert-like conditions. Often, these orchids grow on sunny, exposed sites, on the branches of deciduous trees or on rocks.

System

Within the subfamily Epidendroideae the genus Encyclia in the tribe Epidendreae and there in the subtribe Laeliinae is classified. Encyclia is closely related to Alamania Artorima and Prosthechea.

Botanical history

Joseph Dalton Hooker described the genus in 1828 with the type species Encyclia viridiflora - of which, however, since no copy has been found. The name of the genus is an ancient Greek εγκύκλιος egkyclios = " forming a circle " and refers to the side lobes of the lip which encircle the column circular.

While John Lindley looked this genus only as a grouping within Epidendrum, she was separated from Rudolf Schlechter again. Differentiation from the closely related genus Prosthechea has long been unclear. The now named as Prosthechea species were formerly all made ​​to Encyclia, then separated later renamed Epithecia, Anacheilium and Hormidium as a separate genus. Recent studies consider the two genera Encyclia and Prosthechea as different. Formerly known as Encyclia Section Euchile named species are now placed to Prosthechea or treated as a separate genus.

A number of smaller species was removed from the earlier broader genus Encyclia. The genus Psychilis has been described already in 1838 by Rafinesque, the known 15 species but were led to 1988 Encyclia. Similarly, there is the genus Dinema already since 1831, the species but were asked to Encyclia long. Artorima 1971 cleaved to include the type Artorima erubescens, Hagsatera with two species was erected in 1974. Oestlundia was set up in 2001 and comprises four species of Encyclia.

Documents

• Alec M. Pridgeon, Phillip Cribb, Mark W. Chase: Genera Orchidacearum. Vol 4/1: Epidendroidae ( Part one ). Oxford University Press, 2005. Pp. 232-236. ISBN 0-19-850712-7
• Carl L. Withner: The cattleyas and Their relatives. Vol 4: The Bahamian and Caribbean Species. Timber Press, Portland, 1988. Pp. 35-80. ISBN 0-88192-344-3
• Carl L. Withner: The cattleyas and Their relatives. Vol 5: Brassavola, Encyclia and Other Genera of Mexico and Central America. Timber Press, Portland, 1998. Pp. 85-136. ISBN 0-88192-456-3