Microchilus
Microchilus arietinus
Microchilus is a genus of the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). It consists of about 135 species of herbaceous plants that are native to tropical America.
Description
The species of the genus Microchilus form a creeping rhizome, which is rooted at the nodes. The ascending rung carry the leaves evenly distributed or in a loose rosette, as in the lower half of the upright shoot. The leaves are broadly to narrowly oval shaped, often slightly asymmetrical, short-stalked. The tubular leaf base includes the shoot. The color of the leaves is green to brownish, sometimes with pale green or silver drawing.
About the leaves to the stem axis is continued as vielblütiger, racemose inflorescence. The inflorescence axis is hairy and is comprised of a few high leaves. The bracts are about as long as ovary and pedicel together. The ovary is hairy and twisted, the flowers are 'upside down by it. The petals are free. The three sepals are about the same shape and the same size, hairy on the outside in some species. The lateral sepals are spread apart, the upper sepal forms the lateral petals and attached a tube. The lateral petals are narrowly linear to oblong - lanceolate, above the middle at the widest. The lip forms a long, cylindrical to oval, rarely at the end bilobed spur at the base. Inside the spur low slats are usually present. The lip is divided into two parts: the basal member Hypochil is U- shaped in cross section and only rarely has fins inside. The front part, which is Epichil, entire or bilobed ends. The column is spindle-shaped, its lower part is fused with the edges of the lip. The stamen contains two club-shaped pollinia, which are connected via a respective stalks with the viscid disc ( Viscidium ). The scar consists of an undivided area which is below the separation between scar tissue and stamen ( rostellum ). The rostellum is long triangular with a two-part tip.
Dissemination
Microchilus is widespread in tropical America. From Mexico and the Bahamas to the north, the area over Central America and the Caribbean extends over the whole of South America to approximately the level of the Rio de la Plata in the south. The species grow in the evergreen forests, sometimes epiphytic. They come in altitudes up to 2000 meters before.
Systematics and botanical history
The genus Microchilus was erected in 1827 by Karl Bořiwog Presl. Type species is Microchilus minor. The name derives from the Greek Microchilus μικρός micros, "small", and χεῖλος cheilos, " lip " from, it refers to the small, lip -called Petal. The species were performed long with very similar species from Southeast Asia in the genus Erythrodes. Microchilus is classified within the tribe Cranichideae in the subtribe Goodyerinae. After Dressler can this be further subdivided into two groups; under the name Erythrodes Dressler provides them along with the majority of the genera which do not have two clearly separate stigmatic surfaces.
While in the work "Genera Orchidacearum " still 40 species in the genus Microchilus were counted, the number according to studies by Paul Ormerod has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010 and now stands at about 135 types:
- Microchilus aguindae Ormerod
- Microchilus alzatei Ormerod
- Microchilus anchoriferus ( Schltr. ) Ormerod
- Microchilus anderssonii Ormerod
- Microchilus andrei Ormerod
- Microchilus arietinus ( Rchb.f. & hot. ) Ormerod
- Microchilus aspidogynoides Ormerod
- Microchilus astilleroensis Ormerod
- Microchilus atalayae Ormerod
- Microchilus austrobrasiliensis ( Porsch ) Ormerod
- Microchilus bangii Ormerod
- Microchilus bimentatus ( Dressler ) Ormerod
- Microchilus borjaquijosae Ormerod
- Microchilus brachyplectron ( Pabst ) Ormerod
- Microchilus bravocollinus Ormerod
- Microchilus brunnescens Ormerod
- Microchilus buchtienii ( Schltr. ) Ormerod
- Microchilus callophylloides ( Garay ) Ormerod
- Microchilus calophyllus ( Rchb.f. ) Ormerod
- Microchilus campanulatus Ormerod
- Microchilus canaliculatus Ormerod
- Microchilus capitatus Ormerod
- Microchilus caramantae Ormerod
- Microchilus carbonerae Ormerod
- Microchilus carchiensis Ormerod
- Microchilus carinatus Ormerod
- Microchilus caucanus ( Schltr. ) Ormerod
- Microchilus cerato tele Ormerod
- Microchilus chicalensis Ormerod
- Microchilus chingualensis Ormerod
- Microchilus constrictus Ormerod
- Microchilus crassibasis Ormerod Microchilus crassibasis subsp. canarensis Ormerod
- Microchilus crassibasis subsp. crassibasis
- Microchilus curviflorus var azulitae Ormerod
- Microchilus curviflorus var curviflorus
- Microchilus erythrodoides subsp. erythrodoides
- Microchilus erythrodoides subsp. venadosae Ormerod
- Microchilus puyoensis var Brachyceras Ormerod
- Microchilus puyoensis var brevipedunculatus Ormerod
- Microchilus puyoensis var puyoensis