Acanthophippium

Acanthophippium
Acanthophippium javanicum
1850 illustration[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Collabieae
Genus: Acanthophippium
Blume[1]
Type species
Acanthophippium javanicum
Species

See text

Acanthophippium is a genus of orchid with thirteen 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 Indian subcontinent to Taiwan, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and the southwest Pacific.[3]

The terrestrial species are up to 80 cm tall. They have short rhizomes. The oblong and fleshy pseudobulbs 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.[4]

The erect inflorescence arises laterally from the pseudobulbs, with 3 to 6 flowers, subtended by large, glabrous bracts. 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.[4]

This genus is allied to genera Calanthe, Cephalantheropsis, Phaius, and Spathoglottis.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference WCSP_1435 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Fitch del. et lith. (= Walter Hood Fitch, 1817-1892) William Jackson Hooker (1785—1865) ed. - "Curtis's botanical magazine" vol. 76 ser. 3 nr. 6 tab. 4492
  3. ^ Flora of China, v 25 p 309, 坛花兰属 tan hua lan shu, Acanthephippium Blume, Bijdr. 353. 1825.
  4. ^ a b Thomas, S.A. 1997 - Taxonomic revision of the genus Acanthephippium (Orchidaceae). Orchid Monographs, Vol. 8, pp. 119–134, 178-179, 236-246, figures 56-66, plates 5c-6d. Rijksherbarium / Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, The Netherlands.