Sacoila squamulosa

(Kunth) Garay

Bot. Mus. Leafl. 28: 352. 1982.

Common names: Hoary beaked orchid
Basionym: Neottia squamulosa Kunth in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 266, plate 71. 1815
Synonyms: Sacoila lanceolata var. squamulosa (Kunth) Szlachetko Spiranthes squamulosa (Kunth) Sprengel Stenorrhynchos squamulosum
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 529. Mentioned on page 528.

Herbs, terrestrial or lithophytic, 30–60(–75) cm. Leaves absent at flowering time, 2–8, short-petiolate; blade elliptic to broadly lanceolate, 30 × 5 cm, apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences 8–18 cm; rachis scurfy with white dots; floral bracts red, lanceolate, 15–25 mm, exceeding ovary, scurfy. Flowers brick red, 15–50; dorsal sepal 15–18 × 5 mm; lateral sepals 24 × 3.5 mm, connate for 5–7 mm over basal portion of mentum, distinct portion of mentum 15–18 mm, about 2/3 length of ovary; petals 18–24 × 3–6 mm; lip brick red to pale red, 20–24 × 6 mm; column 11 mm from attachment of dorsal sepal to tip, foot extending back 11–12 mm; pollinaria 4–5 mm, viscidia 3–3.5 mm; pedicellate ovary 10–13 mm; rostellum 4–5 mm. Capsules 10–13 × 7 cm, scurfy. Seeds largely monoembryonic.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat: Open or wooded, dry–moist including poorly drained pinelands on calcareous substrates
Elevation: 0–30 m

Distribution

V26 1079-distribution-map.jpg

Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n South America.

Discussion

Sacoila squamulosa is widespread in tropical and subtropical America. Although often overlooked in Florida, it was included in the range of Stenorrhynchos squamulosum (M. Nir 2000), and details were given for its inclusion in the Florida flora (P. M. Brown 2000b). That resulted in determining that a large stand of nonconforming Sacoila in Marion County was indeed this species. It is a tall and handsome plant that, upon close examination, has the unmistakable scurfy or hoary dots instead of the short pubescence of Sacoila lanceolata. This is one of the most recent additions to the orchid flora of Florida and the United States. Plants have been either overlooked or not well distinguished from the more common S. lanceolata var. lanceolata. Knowledge of the range in Florida is incomplete, pending further study.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Sacoila squamulosa"
Paul Martin Brown +  and Paul M. Catling +
(Kunth) Garay +
Neottia squamulosa +
Hoary beaked orchid +
Fla. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and n South America. +
0–30 m +
Open or wooded, dry–moist including poorly drained pinelands on calcareous substrates +
Flowering Apr–May. +
Bot. Mus. Leafl. +
brown2000b +
Sacoila lanceolata var. squamulosa +, Spiranthes squamulosa +  and Stenorrhynchos squamulosum +
Sacoila squamulosa +
species +