Cockle-Shell Orchid (Prosthechea cochleata)

Cockle-Shell Orchid (Prosthechea cochleata syn. Encyclia cochleata, Anacheilium cochleatum, Epidendrum cochleatum) is an epiphytic, sympodial New World orchid native to Central America, the West Indies, Colombia, Venezuela, and southern Florida. Each oblong discoid pseudobulb bears one or two linear non succulent leaves. The flowers are unusual in that though the labellum is usually below the column in the orchids, in the members of Prosthechea the labellum forms a “hood” over the column. This makes the flower effectively upside down, or resupinate.

P. cochleata is common in cultivation, and is valued for its uniquely shaped and long-lasting flowers on continually growing racemes. Several hybrids have been produced with this species, including the popular Prosyclia Green Hornet. It is the national flower of Belize, where it is known as the Black Orchid.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Asparagales
Family : Orchidaceae
Subfamily : Epidendroideae
Tribe : Epidendreae
Subtribe : Laeliinae
Alliance : Epidendrum
Genus : Prosthechea
Species : Prosthechea cochleata

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Orchidaceae (or-kid-AY-see-ay) - The Orchid family, from the Latin orchis.
• Prosthechea (pros-THEE-kee-ah) - From the Greek prostheke (appendix), referring to the appendage on the back of the gynostemium.
• cochleata (kok-lee-AY-tuh) - From the Greek, meaning to twist or spiral.

Common Names:

• Cockle-Shell Orchid, Black Orchid, Clamshell Orchid, Green Squid Orchid

Links:

• Orchids Wiki - Cockle-Shell Orchid

Image Courtesy of Donnie (pitik101).

Wax-Lip Orchid (Glossodia major)

Wax-Lip Orchid (Glossodia major) is one of the commonest and most conspicuous early spring orchids producing colourful floral displays. It is an erect perennial that grows to about 30 cm high and common in heath, open forest, grasslands, and stabilised sand dunes. Flowers are purple-blue or mauve-purple, with a white basal section to the labellum and prominent yellow callus, and are carried on a terminal raceme or solitary. There is also a white variety. It has a flower span of up to about 4.5 cm across and is usually found as a solitary flower.

Flowering occurs during spring mainly during August to October. Foliage is basal, solitary, alternate, and the leaves are lanceolate to oblong.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Asparagales
Family : Orchidaceae
Genus : Glossodia
Species : Glossodia major

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Orchidaceae (or-kid-AY-see-ay) - The Orchid family, from the Latin orchis.
• Glossodia (gloss-OH-dee-uh) - From the Greek, glossodes (tongue-shaped) referring to the tongue-like appendage at the base of the column.
• major (MAY-jor) - Larger.

Common Names:

• Wax-Lip Orchid, Large Wax-Lip Orchid, Parson-In-The-Pulpit, Wax-Lips

Links:

• Understorey Network - Wax-Lip Orchid
• PlantNet - Wax-Lip Orchid
• ZipCodeZoo - Wax-Lip Orchid

Image Courtesy of Dr. David Midgley.

Translucent Dendrobium (Dendrobium transparens)

Translucent Dendrobium (Dendrobium transparens syn. Callista transparens, Dendrobium henshalli) is a rare species from the genus. It is found in India, Nepal and Burma in dense wet forests at elevations of 500 to 2100 meters as a medium to large sized, cool to warm growing epiphyte with slender, basally swollen, erect to pendulous stems.

The stems carry 5 to 7, deciduous, linear-lanceolate, recurved, acute leaves. The plant blooms in the spring and early summer on a short, 2 to 3, flowered raceme emerging from hyaline bracts with short lived, fragrant flowers that arise from the large transparent bracts at the nodes of the old leafless canes and needs a slight rest from water and fertilizer in the winter although plants should never become completely dry for extended periods.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Asparagales
Family : Orchidaceae
Subfamily : Epidendroideae
Tribe : Dendrobieae
Subtribe : Dendrobiinae
Genus : Dendrobium
Species : Dendrobium transparens

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Dendrobium (den-DROH-bee-um) - From dendron (tree) and bios (life); tree of life.
• transparens (trans-PAR-enz) - Transparent.

Common Names:

• Translucent Dendrobium

Links:

• Flowers of India - Translucent Dendrobium
• Orchid Species - Translucent Dendrobium

Image Courtesy of Kunal Shetty.

Ruby-lipped Cattleya (Cattleya labiata)

Ruby-lipped Cattleya (Cattleya labiata) is a species of Cattleya. This genus is distributed throughout the North (Mexico), Central and South America. It was found in 1818 in Brazil, and was the first species of cattleya discovered.

A variable sized epiphyte with club-shaped, slightly compressed pseudobulbs subtended by several greenish, thin textured sheaths and carrying a single, apical, oblong, obtuse, coriaceous leaf that blooms mostly in the fall and early winter on a short, few flowered inflorescence subtended by a double, leathery sheath and is a cool to warm growing orchid species. The 5 inch flowers vary in colour and as many as 5 may grow on a raceme. It blooms in the fall. All have one leaf per pseudobulb.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Asparagales
Family : Orchidaceae
Subfamily : Epidendroideae
Tribe : Epidendreae
Subtribe : Laeliinae
Genus : Cattleya
Species : Cattleya labiata

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Cattleya (KAT-lee-yuh) - Named for William Cattley, 19th century Englishman who imported the plant from Brazil.
• labiata (la-bee-AH-ta) - Referring to a lip.

Common Names:

• Ruby-lipped Cattleya, Crimson Cattleya, Cattleya Orchid

Links:

• Chadwick Orchids - Ruby-lipped Cattleya
• Orchid Species - Ruby-lipped Cattleya
• Flowers of India - Ruby-lipped Cattleya

Image Courtesy of Matthew Mendoza.

Ward’s Stanhopea (Stanhopea wardii)

Ward’s Stanhopea (Stanhopea wardii) is an epiphytic orchid from high altitude forests. They are very unusual and striking, large, waxy, golden-yellow pendant blooms with a spicy fragrance. Indigenous to Nicaragua, Colombia, and Venezuela, Stanhopea wardii gives off a strong medicinal fragrance that attracts male bees. They collect the flowers’ perfume and store it for their courtship of females in specialized organs on their hind legs.

Experts believe that female bees choose their mates based on the quantity and diversity of the males’ collected scents. This process of sexual selection is similar to how a female peacock rates a male’s plumage, but on a chemical basis as opposed to a visual one.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Asparagales
Family : Orchidaceae
Subfamily : Epidendroideae
Tribe : Maxillarieae
Subtribe : Stanhopeinae
Genus : Stanhopea
Species : Stanhopea wardii

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Stanhopea (stan-HOPE-ee-uh) - Named for Rt Hon Philip Henry Stanhope, 19th century president of the London Medico-Botanical Society.
• wardii (WAR-dee-eye) - Named for Frank Kingdon-Ward, 20th century English botanist in Asia.

Common Names:

• Ward’s Stanhopea, Stanhopea Orchid

Links:

• Orchid Species - Ward’s Stanhopea
• Ursula’s Page : Orchid Corner - Ward’s Stanhopea
• NOVA Orchid Hunter - Ward’s Stanhopea
• Orchid Plant care - Ward’s Stanhopea

Image Courtesy of Bob Lewis (nolehace).