Acanthephippium
Encyclopedia
Acanthephippium is a genus
of orchid with twelve species
(family Orchidaceae
). The name of this genus is derived from the Greek
words acanthos ("spiny") and ephippion ("saddle"), referring to the saddle-like labellum
of the plants.
This terrestrial
and sometimes myco-heterotrophic genus of sympodial
orchids is distributed from the tropical and subtropical Indian subcontinent to China and the southwest Pacific.
The terrestrial species are up to 80 cm tall. They have short rhizome
s. The oblong and fleshy pseudobulb
s are up to 25 cm tall. They produce at their apex 2 to 3 large plicate, lanceolate, parallel-veined leaves
, which can be up to 65 cm long.
The erect inflorescence
arises laterally from the pseudobulbs, with 3 to 6 flowers, subtended by large, glabrous bract
s. The flowers are prominent, large, striated cup- or urn-shaped, fleshy, waxy, and about 4 cm long. They resemble a tulip
, a most unusual shape for an orchid. The flowers have a wide range of colors, from dull yellow to red to shades of orange and pink, marked with stripes or spots. The blossoms are usually odiferous with a very strong fragrance.
This genus is allied to genera Calanthe
, Phaius
, and Spathoglottis
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of orchid with twelve species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
(family Orchidaceae
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
). The name of this genus is derived from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
words acanthos ("spiny") and ephippion ("saddle"), referring to the saddle-like labellum
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
of the plants.
This terrestrial
Terrestrial plant
A terrestrial plant is one that grows on land. Other types of plants are aquatic , epiphytic , lithophytes and aerial ....
and sometimes myco-heterotrophic genus of sympodial
Sympodial
Sympodial means "with conjoined feet", and in biology is often used to refer to the outward morphology or mode of growth of organisms.-In botany:...
orchids is distributed from the tropical and subtropical Indian subcontinent to China and the southwest Pacific.
The terrestrial species are up to 80 cm tall. They have short rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s. The oblong and fleshy pseudobulb
Pseudobulb
The pseudobulb is a storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes.It applies to the orchid family , specifically certain groups of epiphytic orchids, and may be single or composed of several internodes with evergreen or deciduous leaves along its length.In some species, it is...
s are up to 25 cm tall. They produce at their apex 2 to 3 large plicate, lanceolate, parallel-veined leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
, which can be up to 65 cm long.
The erect inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
arises laterally from the pseudobulbs, with 3 to 6 flowers, subtended by large, glabrous bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s. The flowers are prominent, large, striated cup- or urn-shaped, fleshy, waxy, and about 4 cm long. They resemble a tulip
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
, a most unusual shape for an orchid. The flowers have a wide range of colors, from dull yellow to red to shades of orange and pink, marked with stripes or spots. The blossoms are usually odiferous with a very strong fragrance.
This genus is allied to genera Calanthe
Calanthe
Calanthe – commonly abbreviated Cal. in horticulture – is a widespread genus of terrestrial orchids with some 170 species.The genus is divided into 2 groups – deciduous species and evergreen ones...
, Phaius
Phaius
Phaius is a genus of large, mostly terrestrial orchids . The genus has about 20 species. These species are found in tropical Asia, into China, Japan, Australia, and west to Africa and Madagascar...
, and Spathoglottis
Spathoglottis
Spathoglottis is a genus of orchids . This genus is allied to genera Acanthephippium, Bletia, Calanthe, and Phaius. This genus is abbreviated Spa in trade journals. The genus Paxtonia Lindl...
.
Species
- Acanthephippium bicolorAcanthephippium bicolorAcanthephippium bicolor is a species of orchid....
(S. India, Sri Lanka, New Guinea). - Acanthephippium chrysoglossum (W. Sumatra).
- Acanthephippium curtisii (Borneo - Sarawak).
- Acanthephippium eburneum (N. Sumatra, Borneo - Sarawak).
- Acanthephippium gougahensis (Thailand, Vietnam).
- Acanthephippium javanicumAcanthephippium javanicumAcanthephippium javanicum is a species of orchid and the type species of its genus....
(W. Malaysia, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, New Guinea). (type species; commonly grown) - Acanthephippium lilacinum (N. Borneo).
- Acanthephippium mantinianum (Philippines) (commonly grown)
- Acanthephippium parviflorum (Vietnam, S. Sumatra to Java).
- Acanthephippium sinenseAcanthephippium sinenseAcanthephippium sinense is a species of plant in the Orchidaceae family. It is found in China and Hong Kong.-References:* China Plant Specialist Group 2004. . Downloaded 20 August 2007.....
(China) - Acanthephippium splendidum (Sulawesi to SW. Pacific, New Guinea).
- Acanthephippium striatum (E. Himalaya to Java). (commonly grown)
- Acanthephippium sylhetense (Sikkim to Philippines)