''Triceratorhynchus'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s of the orchid family,

Orchidaceae Orchids are plants that belong to the family (biology), family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan plants that ...

. It is native to central Africa: Cameroon, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Kenya.Summerhayes, Victor Samuel. 1951. Botanical Museum Leaflets of Harvard University 14: 232
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Description

Vegetative characteristics

The species are dwarf epiphytes with short stems, which bear many leaves. The leaf shape is oblong or lanceolate.

Generative characteristics

The inflorescences produce one to many small, spurred, inconspicuous flowers.

Taxonomy

Taxonomic history

The genus was described in 1951 by the British botanist

Victor Samuel Summerhayes Victor Samuel Summerhayes (21 February 1897 – 27 December 1974) was an English botanist in charge of the orchid herbarium at Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew for 39 years. Summerhayes was born on 21 February 1897 at Street, Somerset and he was ed ...

(1897–1974). His concept of the genus only included the type species, which he described as ''Triceratorhynchus viridiflorus'' Summerh.Leth, C. (n.d.). Genus ''Triceratorhynchus''. African Orchids. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from http://www.africanorchids.dk/higher-epidendroideae/tribe-vandeae/subtribe-aerangidinae-from-n-y/triceratorhynchus The other two species of the genus were formerly placed in ''Distylodon'' Summerh., which is a synonym of ''Triceratorhynchus''. Therefore, the genus now consists of three species.Szlachetko, D. L., Grochocka, E., Olędrzyńska, N., & Mytnik, J. (2018)
"Taxonomical notes on Angraecoid orchids from Africa, with a new genus and new combinations."
Richardiana. Nouvelle Série, 2.

Etymology

The generic name ''Triceratorhynchus'' is composed of the three Greek words ''tri'' (three), ''keras'' (horn) and ''rhynchos'' (beak or snout), which refer to aspects of the floral structure.

Horticulture

The species of this genus are not cultivated.

References

External links

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African Orchids, ''Triceratorhynchus viridiflorus''Colnect, photo of Burundi postage stamp bearing depiction of ''Triceratorhynchus viridiflorus''
Vandeae genera Angraecinae Orchids of Africa Flora of Burundi Flora of Cameroon Flora of Kenya Flora of Rwanda Flora of Uganda Orchids of Cameroon Orchids of Kenya Taxa named by V. S. Summerhayes {{Vandeae-stub