Leach orchid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Leach orchid | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Silvery stelis (Stelis argentata)
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Species | ||||||||||||||||||
|
See text. |
Leach orchids (genus Stelis) is a large group of orchids, with perhaps 500 species. The generic name Stelis is the Greek word for 'mistletoe', referring to the epiphytic habit of these species.
Many of the older species were named by Lindley, Ruiz & Pavon and Reichenbach, while many of the recent species were named by Dr. C. Luer. An orchid of the genus Stelis was probably the first American orchid ever to be brought to Europe. An herbarium specimen was depicted in 1591 in Tabernaemontanus' herbal book. These mainly epiphytic (rarely lithophytic plants are distributed throughout damp mountain forests in tropical North and Central America.
Herbal Book of Johannes Theodorus Tabernaemontanus
Contents |
[edit] Description
A single oblanceolate leaf develops from narrow, leathery outgrowths from a creeping stem.
Most species grow long, dense racemes of small to minute flowers in diverse shades of white. Other colors are rare. These flowers are photosensitive, only opening in the sunlight. Some close completely at night.
The three symmetrically rounded sepals generally form a triangle with a small central structure, made up of the column, small petals and small lip, though slight variation to this theme does occour.
This genus is not common in cultivation.
[edit] Taxonomy
Cladistic research (by A. Pridgeon, R. Solano and M. Chase) has shown that the genus Stelis is monophyletic. But the distinction with several Pleurothallis subgenera is blurred (see Reference).
They are closely related to the massive genus Pleurothallis and Masdevallia. Although vegetatively the species show much variety, the flowers show a basic uniformity and are very similar throughout. Apatostelis Garay, Dialissa Lindl., Humboldtia Ruiz & Pav. and Steliopsis Brieger are generally included into Stelis.
[edit] Species
Here are some species and their common names:
- Stellis alata Lindl. : Winged Stelis.
- Stellis argentata Lindl. : Silvery Stelis
- Stellis aviceps Lindl. : Bird Head Stelis
- Stellis barbata Rolfe 1913 : Bearded Stelis.
- Stellis bidentata Schltr. 1912 : Two-toothed Stelis.
- Stellis ciliaris Lindl. 1836: Hairy Stelis
- Stellis crescentiicola Schltr. 1920: Crescentia Living Stelis.
- Stellis flexuosa : Flexuous Stelis.
- Stellis gemma : Gem Stelis
- Stellis glomerosa : Ball Stelis.
- Stellis guatemalensis : Guatemalan Stelis.
- Stellis intermedia : In-between Stelis.
- Stellis leinigii : Leinig's Stelis.
- Stellis megantha : Giant Anther Stelis.
- Stellis palmeiraensis : Palmeira Stelis.
- Stellis perpusilliflora : West Indian Leach Orchid
- Stellis porschiana : Porsch's Stelis.
- Stellis purpurea : Purple Stelis
- Stellis pygmaea : Pygmy Leach Orchid
- Stellis triangulisepala : Triangular Sepal Stelis.
- Stellis vinosa : Wine-like Stelis.
- Stellis wettsteiniana : Wettstein's Stelis
[edit] References
- Dr. C. Luer - Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXIV: A first century of new species of Stelis of Ecuador. Part 1 (2002); ISBN 1-930723-15-6
- Dr. C. Luer - Icones Pleurothallidinarum XXVI: Pleurothallis subgenus Acianthera and three allied subgenera; A Second Century of New Species of Stelis of Ecuador; Epibator, Ophidion, Zootrophion (2004); ISBN 1-930723-29-2
- Phylogenetic relationships in Pleurothallidinae.
