''Spathoglottis'', commonly known as purple orchids
or 苞舌兰属 (bao she lan shu)
is a
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 about fifty species of
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.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
s in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Orchidaceae. They are
evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
terrestrial
Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth.
Terrestrial may also refer to:
* Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to ...
herbs
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...
with crowded
pseudobulb
The pseudobulb is a storage organ found in many epiphytic and terrestrial sympodial orchids. It is derived from a thickening of the part of a stem between leaf nodes and may be composed of just one internode or several, termed heteroblastic a ...
s, a small number of leaves and medium-sized
resupinate
Resupination is derived from the Latin word ''resupinus'', meaning "bent back
with the face upward" or "on the back". "Resupination" is the noun form of the adjective "resupine" which means "being upside-down, supine or facing upward".
The word " ...
flowers on an upright flowering stem. The
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 are all similar to each other and are white, yellow, pink or purple. Species of ''Spathoglottis'' are found from eastern and south-eastern Asia to Australia and some Pacific Islands.
Description
Orchids in the genus ''Spathoglottis'' are evergreen, terrestrial herbs with crowded
pseudobulb
The pseudobulb is a storage organ found in many epiphytic and terrestrial sympodial orchids. It is derived from a thickening of the part of a stem between leaf nodes and may be composed of just one internode or several, termed heteroblastic a ...
s just below the surface of the soil and a few large, wikt:pleat, pleated leaves. The flowering stem emerges from a pseudoblulb and bears medium-sized, colourful flowers. The flowers open widely with the
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 all similar in size to each other, although with the petals usually broader, the sepals are hairy on the outside. The Labellum (botany), labellum has three lobes, the side lobes more or less upright and the middle lobe with a claw near its base.
Taxonomy and naming
The genus ''Spathoglottis'' was first formally described in 1825 by Carl Ludwig Blume who published the description in ''Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch Indië''.
The genus name ''Spathoglottis'' is derived from the Greek ''spathe'', wikt:spathe#Noun, spathe, and ''glotta'', tongue, a probable reference to the broad labellum midlobe".
Species list
Species accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as of October 2018 are:
* ''Spathoglottis affinis''
Willem Hendrik de Vriese, de Vriese
* ''Spathoglottis albida''
Kraenzl.
* ''Spathoglottis alpina''
R.S.Rogers
* ''Spathoglottis altigena''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis aurea''
Lindl.
* ''Spathoglottis bulbosa''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis carolinensis''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis chrysantha''
Oakes Ames (botanist), Ames
* ''Spathoglottis chrysodorus''
Ted Green, T.Green
* ''Spathoglottis confusa''
J.J.Sm.
* ''Spathoglottis doctorsii''
J.J.Sm.
** ''Spathoglottis doctorsii'' var. ''doctorsii
** ''Spathoglottis doctorsii'' var. emarginata
J.J.Sm.
* ''Spathoglottis eburnea''
Gagnep.
* ''Spathoglottis elmeri''
Oakes Ames (botanist), Ames
* ''Spathoglottis elobulata''
J.J.Sm.
* ''Spathoglottis erectiflora''
Kraenzl.
* ''Spathoglottis gracilis''
Robert Allen Rolfe, Rolfe ex Hook.f.
* ''Spathoglottis grandifolia''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis hardingiana''
Charles Samuel Pollock Parish, C.S.P.Parish & Rchb.f.
* ''Spathoglottis ixioides''
(D.Don) Lindl.
* ''Spathoglottis kenejiae''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis kimballiana''
Hook.f.
** ''Spathoglottis kimballiana'' var. ''angustifolia''
Oakes Ames (botanist), Ames
** ''Spathoglottis kimballiana'' var. ''antiquensis''
Ted Green, T.Green
** ''Spathoglottis kimballiana'' var. ''kimballiana''
* ''Spathoglottis latifolia''
(Gaudich.) Leslie Andrew Garay, Garay & Paul Abel Ormerod, Ormerod
* ''Spathoglottis microchilina''
Kraenzl.
* ''Spathoglottis micronesiaca''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis oreophila''
Ridl.
* ''Spathoglottis pacifica''
Rchb.f.
* ''Spathoglottis palawanensis''
Amihan Mercado Lubag-Arquiza, Lubag-Arquiza
* ''Spathoglottis papuana''
F.M.Bailey
** ''Spathoglottis papuana'' var. ''papuana''
** ''Spathoglottis papuana'' var. puberiflora''
R.S.Rogers & C.T.White
* ''Spathoglottis × parsonii
Oakes Ames (botanist), Ames & Eduardo Quisumbing, Quisumb.
* ''Spathoglottis parviflora''
Kraenzl.
* ''Spathoglottis paulinae''
F.Muell.
* ''Spathoglottis petri''
Rchb.f.
* ''Spathoglottis philippinensis''
Amihan Mercado Lubag-Arquiza, Lubag-Arquiza
* ''Spathoglottis plicata''
Carl Ludwig Blume, Blume
* ''Spathoglottis portus-finschii''
Kraenzl.
* ''Spathoglottis pubescens''
Lindl.
* ''Spathoglottis pulchra''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis pacifica''
Rchb.f.
* ''Spathoglottis smithii''
Paul Joseph Kores, Kores
* ''Spathoglottis stenophylla''
Ridl.
* ''Spathoglottis sulawesiensis''
Ted Green, T.Green
* ''Spathoglottis tomentosa''
Lindl.
* ''Spathoglottis tricallosa''
J.J.Sm.
* ''Spathoglottis umbraticola''
Leslie Andrew Garay, Garay
* ''Spathoglottis unguiculata''
(Labill.) Rchb.f.
* ''Spathoglottis vanoverberghii''
Oakes Ames (botanist), Ames
* ''Spathoglottis vanvuurenii''
J.J.Sm.
* ''Spathoglottis velutina''
Schltr.
* ''Spathoglottis wariana''
Schltr.
Distribution and habitat
''Spathoglottis'' orchids usually grow in moist places in forest, grassland and swamps, usually in bright sunshine. They are found in India, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Borneo and Cape York Peninsula in Australia. One species is Endemism, endemic to Australia and three to China.
Use in horticulture
They are easy to cultivate and sought after for their large colourful flowers, and are common in tropical gardens. They need sun for part of the day, well-drained loamy soil and regular water.
References
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2719996
Spathoglottis,
Collabieae genera