Myrosmodes
Myrosmodes nubigenum, top left, Figure I and II
Myrosmodes is a genus of the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). It consists of ten species of herbaceous plants that are native to South America.
Description
The species of the genus are terrestrial Myrosmodes growing, small herbaceous plants. The side by side springing roots are fleshy, spindle- shaped and usually hairy. The leaves are in a basal rosette, they do not develop until after the flowering period. The small leaves are oval and short- stalked, often fleshy texture.
The racemose, Vielblütige inflorescence is pendent, upright. The peduncle is surrounded by bracts that greatly overlap. The bracts are shorter than the flowers. The flowers are rather small, hairless, they are usually close to each other and appear 'upside. The three sepals are each about the same shape, fused at the base for a few millimeters. The petals are much narrower. Dorsal sepal and petals are adhered to the side of the base of the column. The lip is tubular or spread out at the base tapering wedge-shaped, fringed on the leaf surface with indistinct calluses in the margin. The column is short and hairless. The scar is large and bean-shaped. The stamen is of a lobed tissue of the column ( Klinandrium ) almost completely enclosed. The stamen contains four pollinia, sitting without stem at a Klebdrüse ( Viscidium ). The rostellum between stigma and stamen is transverse to the column axis, it ends blunt or lobed.
As pollinators the solitary wasp folds Incodynerus romandinus was observed in cochlear Myrosmodes.
Occurrence
Myrosmodes comes in western South America, in the Andes from Venezuela to Argentina. There are exceedingly high- mountain plants, the genus inhabited altitudes 3800-4600 meters. The sites are often in humid places, such as in swamps and along streams. Associated Myrosmodes is often associated with Azorella.
Systematics and botanical history
The genus Myrosmodes was erected in 1854 by Reichenbach. The name derives from the Greek myron μύρον for " aromatic oil," ὀσμή osme for " fragrance" and the syllable ὄδη - odes, " likeness " from; he refers to the fragrant flowers. Type species is Myrosmodes nubigenum.
Myrosmodes is classified within the tribe Cranichideae in the subtribe Cranichidinae. Are closely related to the genera Aa and Porphyrostachys.
There are ten known types:
- Myrosmodes breve ( Schltr. ) Garay
- Myrosmodes chiogena ( Schltr. ) C.A.Vargas
- Myrosmodes cochlear Garay
- Myrosmodes filamentosum ( Mansf. ) Garay
- Myrosmodes nubigenum Rchb.f.
- Myrosmodes paludosa ( Rchb.f. ) P.Ortiz
- Myrosmodes rhynchocarpum ( Schltr. ) Garay
- Myrosmodes rostratum ( Rchb.f. ) Garay
- Myrosmodes ustulatum ( Schltr. ) Garay
- Myrosmodes weberbaueri ( Schltr. ) C.A.Vargas