Snake's head restrepiella

From Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Snake's head restrepiella
{{{status}}}
Fossil range: {{{fossil_range}}}
[[Image:{{{image}}}|200px|]]
Plant Info
Common name(s): {{{common_names}}}
Growth habit: {{{growth_habit}}}
Height: {{{high}}}
Width: {{{wide}}}
Lifespan: {{{lifespan}}}
Exposure: {{{exposure}}}
Water: {{{water}}}
Features: {{{features}}}
Poisonous: {{{poisonous}}}
Hardiness: {{{hardiness}}}
USDA Zones: {{{usda_zones}}}
Sunset Zones: {{{sunset_zones}}}
Scientific classification
Domain: {{{domain}}}
Superkingdom: {{{superregnum}}}
Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: {{{subregnum}}}
Superdivision: {{{superdivisio}}}
Superphylum: {{{superphylum}}}
Division: Magnoliophyta
Phylum: {{{phylum}}}
Subdivision: {{{subdivisio}}}
Subphylum: {{{subphylum}}}
Infraphylum: {{{infraphylum}}}
Microphylum: {{{microphylum}}}
Nanophylum: {{{nanophylum}}}
Superclass: {{{superclassis}}}
Class: Liliopsida
Sublass: {{{subclassis}}}
Infraclass: {{{infraclassis}}}
Superorder: {{{superordo}}}
Order: Asparagales
Suborder: {{{subordo}}}
Infraorder: {{{infraordo}}}
Superfamily: {{{superfamilia}}}
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Supertribe: {{{supertribus}}}
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Pleurothallidinae
Genus: Restrepiella
Garay & Dunst.
Subgenus: {{{subgenus}}}
Section: {{{sectio}}}
Series: {{{series}}}
Species: R. ophiocephala
Subspecies: {{{subspecies}}}
[[{{{diversity_link}}}|Diversity]]
{{{diversity}}}
Binomial name
Restrepiella ophiocephala
(Lindl., 1838) Garay & Dunst., 1966
Trinomial name
{{{trinomial}}}
Type Species
{{{type_species}}}
{{{subdivision_ranks}}}
[[Image:{{{range_map}}}|{{{range_map_width}}}|]]
Synonyms
{{{synonyms}}}

The snake's head restrepiella (Restrepiella ophiocephala) is a species of orchid and the only species of the genus Restrepiella. The orchid is known from Mexico to Costa Rica, occurring in damp forests alongside rivers at low altitude (40-1,600 m). It is morphologically similar to Restrepia, but differs in lacking hairlike attachments on a mobile lip and having 4 pollinia instead of two.

The epithet ophiocephala is derived from the Greek words ophis (snake) and cephalos' (head).

It grows from a short, creeping rhizome as a tufted, robust epiphyte to a length between 8 and 35 cm. The stout, cylindrical stem is erect and about 15 cm long and has a tubular bract. The fleshy, oblanceolate leaves are 8 to 18 cm long and have a short petiole.

The tiny single flowers have a length of about 2 cm. They grow from the base of the leaves, one at a time, on up to four clustered inflorescences. They have a pale yellowish-brown color, dotted with dull purple spots. The outer surface is downy. The obovate, dorsal sepal is erect, while the lateral sepals are fused (synsepals) with a small split at their apex. The elliptic petals are much shorter and with ciliated margins. The fleshy lip is tongue-shaped.

The flowers are in bloom from winter to spring and are strongly scented.

References

  • Luer, C.A. (2000) Icones Pleurothallidinarum XVIII - SYSTEMATICS OF LEPANTHOPSIS, RESTREPIELLA, RESTREPIOPSIS, SALPISTELE & TEAGUEIA Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri ISBN 0-915279-79-7
  • McLeish, I., Pearce, N.R. & B.R. Adams. (1995) Native Orchids of Belize. Rotterdam, Netherlands: A.A. Balkema.

External link

blog comments powered by Disqus
Personal tools
Bookmark and Share