''Selenipedium'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of the
orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...
family (''Orchidaceae'') (Subfamily ''
Cypripedioideae''). The genus has been given its own
tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...
, Selenipedieae, and
subtribe, Selenipediinae.
[Pridgeon, A.M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.W. & F. N. Rasmussen (1999): Genera Orchidacearum Vol.1, Oxford U. Press. ] It is abbreviated Sel in trade journals.
The name of the genus is derived from the
Greek ''selen'', which means "
moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
", and ''pedium'', which means "slipper" (referring to the
pouch).
The seed capsules of these Central and South American
lady's slipper orchids were formerly used as
vanilla substitutes, but selenipediums are now rarely cultivated. Partly this is because of the difficulty of doing so, but is probably also due to the relatively small size of the Selenipedium's flower. The wild flower's
Amazonian habitat is also under threat, so
extinction is a risk for all species of Selenipedium.
Accepted species include:
* ''
Selenipedium aequinoctiale''
Garay —
Ecuador
* ''
Selenipedium buenaventurae''
(Szlach. & Kolan.) P.J.Cribb
* ''
Selenipedium chica''
Rchb.f.
* ''
Selenipedium dodsonii''
P.J.Cribb
* ''
Selenipedium isabelianum''
Barb.Rodr. —
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
* ''
Selenipedium olgae''
Szlach. & Kolan.
* ''
Selenipedium palmifolium''
(Lindl.) Rchb.f. & Warsz.
* ''
Selenipedium steyermarkii''
Foldats — Brazil,
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
* ''
Selenipedium vanillocarpum''
Barb.Rodr. — Brazil
Allied genera include ''
Paphiopedilum'', ''
Mexipedium'', ''
Cypripedium
''Cypripedium'' is a genus of 58 species and nothospecies of hardy Orchidaceae, orchids; it is one of five genera that together compose the subfamily of lady's slipper orchids (Cypripedioideae). They are widespread across much of the Northern He ...
'' and ''
Phragmipedium'' - a genus containing several species formerly known as ''Selenipedium'', such as ''Selenipedium caricinum'' (now ''
Phragmipedium caricinum''), and ''Selenipedium laevigatum'' (now ''
Paphiopedilum philippinense'').
References
External links
*
Various Selenipedium samples, and the problems of cultivationSlipper Orchid Discussion Forum
{{Authority control
Orchid genera
Cypripedioideae