Restrepiella ophiocephala, commonly called the Snake's head restrepiella is an epiphytic orchid native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Florida.[1][2][3][4][5] The epithet ophiocephala is derived from the Greek words ὄφις, ophis (snake) and κεφαλή, kephalē (head).
| Snake's head restrepiella | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
| Genus: | Restrepiella |
| Species: | R. ophiocephala
|
| Binomial name | |
| Restrepiella ophiocephala | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Restrepiella ophiocephala 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. It occurs in damp forests alongside rivers at low altitude (40-1,600 m). The flowers are in bloom from winter to spring and are strongly scented.[6][7][8][9][10]
References
edit- ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ Hammel, B.E. & al. (2003). Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica 3: 1-884. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
- ^ Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.C. & Rasmussen, F.N. (2006). Epidendroideae (Part One). Genera Orchidacearum 4: 1-672. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
- ^ Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
- ^ McLeish, I., N. R. Pearce & B. R. Adams. 1995. Native Orchids of Belize. 1–278.
- ^ Garay, Leslie Andrew & Dunsterville, Galfried Clement Keyworth. 1966. Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated Volume 1 4: 266
- ^ Balick, M. J., M. H. Nee & D.E. Atha. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden 85: i–ix, 1–246.
- ^ CONABIO. 2009. Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. 1. In Capital Nat. México. CONABIO, México D.F.
- ^ Luer, C. A. 1991. Icones Pleurothallidinarum–VIII. Systematics of Lepanthopsis, Octomeria subgenus Pleurothallopsis, Restrepiella, Restrepiopsis, Salpistele, and Teagueia. Addenda to Platystele, Porroglossum, and Scaphosepalum. Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 39: 1–161.
- ^ Stevens, W. D., C. Ulloa Ulloa, A. Pool & O. M. Montiel. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 85: i–xlii,.
External links
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Media related to Restrepiella ophiocephala at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Restrepiella ophiocephala at Wikispecies- Photos from Belize Botanical Gardens
- IOSPE orchid photos, Restrepiella ophiocephala by J.Pfahl
- Orchid photographs by Gary Yong Gee, Restrepiella ophiocephala
- Lankaster Epidendra, Restrepiella ophiocephala
- Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, Orchid of the Day: June 5, 2014, Restrepiella ophiocephala
- Czech Botany, Restrepiella ophiocephala
