genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of
orchids
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.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
native to
Mexico
Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...
.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families /ref> The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing
epiphytically
An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...
, in wet forests from
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...
to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr.
Francisco Sobral
Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the masculine given name '' Franciscus''.
Nicknames
In Spanish, people with the name Francisco are sometimes nicknamed " Paco". San Francisco de Asís was known as ''Pater Comunitatis'' (father o ...
, a Spanish botanist. The genus is abbreviated Sob in trade journals.
Their reed-like stems range in height from about 1 ft (33 cm) (such as in ''Sobralia galeottiana'') to 44 ft. (13.4 m) (in ''Sobralia altissima''). They have typically heavily veined, bilobed, plicate, apical leaves all along the stem. The
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. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed ...
s on the apex of the stem carry one or two successive ephemeral
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...
s with large
sepal
A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...
s and
petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...
s. The short duration of the flower is caused by a self-digesting
enzyme
Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecule ...
column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...
at its base. This columns carries eight soft pollinia. These flowers range in color from pure white to yellow, green, pink, purple, red, brown, and even a blue violet.
Taxonomy
The following species are recognized:
* ''
Sobralia aerata
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
'' (C.K.Allen & L.O.Williams) Garay
* ''
Sobralia allenii
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
'' L.O.Williams
* ''
Sobralia altissima
''Sobralia altissima'' (Common name ''Inquil'') is a species of orchid endemic to Huancavelica Department, Peru. It holds the record for tallest cane-like (ie non-vining) orchid species, with stems up to 13.4 m (44 feet) tall. with the self-sup ...
'' D.E.Benn. & Christenson
* ''
Sobralia amabilis
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
'' (Rchb.f.) L.O.Williams
* ''
Sobralia anceps
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr. ...
'' Schltr.
* ''
Sobralia andreae
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
'' Dressler
* ''
Sobralia antioquiensis
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
'' Schltr.
* ''
Sobralia aspera
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
'' Dressler & Pupulin
* ''
Sobralia atropubescens
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
Sobralia aurantiaca
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
Sobralia callosa
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
Sobralia dorbignyana
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
Sobralia macrantha
''Sobralia macrantha'', commonly known as the large-flowered sobralia, is a species of orchid found from north-central and southern Mexico to Central America.
See also
References
macrantha
Orchids of Mexico
Orchids of Central Ameri ...
Sobralia mucronata
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
Sobralia portillae
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia rolfeana
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
Sobralia rupicola
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' Kraenzl.
* ''
Sobralia sancti-josephi
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
Sobralia scopulorum
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named fo ...
Sobralia sotoana
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' Dressler & Bogarín
* ''
Sobralia speciosa
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
Sobralia macrantha
''Sobralia macrantha'', commonly known as the large-flowered sobralia, is a species of orchid found from north-central and southern Mexico to Central America.
See also
References
macrantha
Orchids of Mexico
Orchids of Central Ameri ...