Cyclopogon cranichoides

(Grisebach) Schlechter

Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 37: 387. 1920.

Illustrated
Basionym: Pelexia cranichoides Grisebach Cat. Pl. Cub., 269. 1866
Synonyms: Beadlea cranichoides (Grisebach) Small Beadlea storeri (Chapman) Small Sauroglossum cranichoides (Grisebach) Ames Spiranthes cranichoides (Grisebach) Cogniaux Spiranthes storeri Chapman
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 521.

Herbs small, to 40 cm. Roots fusiform, to 4.5 cm × 4–8 mm, fleshy. Stems subterranean, short. Leaves 3–8; petiole spreading to suberect, 1.1–3.5(–5.5) cm; blade abaxially purplish, adaxially dark purplish green, sometimes with whitish markings, broadly elliptic to ovate, 2.5–8 × 1.3–3.8 cm, apex obtuse to acute. Inflorescences mottled, purplish; scape pubescent; raceme continuously elongating as fruits mature, to 15 cm, pubescent; floral bracts mottled, lanceolate, longer than ovary. Flowers tubular-funnelform; sepals greenish brown, pubescent; dorsal sepal midvein and margins dark near apex, narrowly elliptic to narrowly pandurate, 3.5–5 × 1.2–2 mm, apex acute; lateral sepals often reflexed, narrowly elliptic to narrowly pandurate, 4–6 × 1–1.5 mm, apex acute; petals greenish-brownish proximally, greenish white distally with midvein and apical margins dark brown, narrowly spatulate-oblanceolate, 4.5 × 0.5–1 mm, apex acute, oblique; lip white, canaliculate, oblong, constricted distal to middle, broadest proximal to constriction, to 5 × 2.5 mm, base gibbose, with pair of tubercles, margins entire, apex slightly flared; column slender, 3.5 mm; pollinia yellow; pedicellate ovary 4–7 mm. Capsules erect, ellipsoid, 6–8 × 3.5–4.5 mm.


Phenology: Flowering Feb–Mar.
Habitat: In humus of shady moist hammocks
Elevation: 0–100 m

Distribution

V26 1061-distribution-map.jpg

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

Discussion

Fruit production in Cyclopogon cranichoides is pollen limited (R. N. Calvo 1990). Natural fruit set was 26–62% over a 4-year period, whereas hand pollinations gave better than 96% fruit set. Contrary to most other studies of orchids, Calvo did not detect a cost of reproduction associated with resource constraints.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Cyclopogon cranichoides"
James D. Ackerman +
(Grisebach) Schlechter +
Pelexia cranichoides +
Fla. +, West Indies +, Central America +  and n South America. +
0–100 m +
In humus of shady moist hammocks +
Flowering Feb–Mar. +
Beih. Bot. Centralbl. +
calvo1990a +
Illustrated +
Beadlea cranichoides +, Beadlea storeri +, Sauroglossum cranichoides +, Spiranthes cranichoides +  and Spiranthes storeri +
Cyclopogon cranichoides +
Cyclopogon +
species +