Peristeria elata

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Peristeria elata
Flower of Peristeria elata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Maxillarieae
Subtribe: Coeliopsidinae
Genus: Peristeria
Species: P. elata
Binomial name
Peristeria elata
Hook.

Peristeria elata is a species of orchid occurring from Central America to Ecuador and Venezuela. It is the type species of its genus.

Description

It has ovoid pseudobulbs up to 12 cm high, elongated, not fat and with four leaves that reach up to one meter of length and 15 cm of width, folded. Flowers emerge from the base of the bulb and produce 4 to 12 flowers with an intense marble white color, with purple spots and the anther and pistil are yellow. The central part of the flower is ornated with a well defined dove shape. Its perfume is similar to beer.

Habitat

In Panama this species has been abundant in the very humid mountain forests. It is found as an epiphyte plant on the trunks of trees covered with moss at elevation of about 1,100 m. In its natural habitat, this orchid is growing near the ground level of mature forests.

State of conservation

This flower is in grave danger of extinction, because of its great beauty, causing traffickers to take it away from its habitat. The Panamanian NGO, APROVACA, runs a sponsorship program for this orchid to save it from extinction.[1]It is included on the list of endangered plants according to the Washington Treaty on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. [2]

National Flower of Panama

Since 1980, this orchid is the national flower of the Republic of Panama.[3] [4][5]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.aprovaca.org/en/projects/orchid-sponsorship.html
  2. ↑ http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/text.shtml
  3. ↑ República de Panamá. Página Oficial.
  4. ↑ http://burica.wordpress.com/2007/09/01/la-flor-nacional-de-panama-peristeria-elata/
  5. ↑ http://www.orchidspeciessoc.org/a%20pelata.htm
  • Dr. Karlheinz Senghas - Maxillaria, un genre chaotique - Richardiana
  • Eric A. Christenson - Vue d’ensemble du genre Maxillaria - Richardiana

External links

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