Pteroglossaspis ecristata

(Fernald) Rolfe

Orchid Rev. 12: 136. 1904.

IllustratedConservation concern
Basionym: Cyrtopodium ecristatum Fernald Bot. Gaz. 24: 433. 1897
Synonyms: Bletia verecunda Chapman Cyrtopodium strictum Grisebach Eulophia ecristata (Fernald) Ames Triorchos ecristatus (Fernald) Small Triorchos strictus (Grisebach) Acuña
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 641. Mentioned on page 640, 642.

Plants 30–130 cm. Pseudobulbs underground. Leaves: blade linear-lanceolate, 15–70 × 1–3.5 cm, apex long-acuminate. Inflorescences erect, densely flowered toward apex, to 170 cm. Flowers yellowish green with purplish brown markings, 0.75–1 cm wide; sepals and petals converging over column and disc of lip in natural position, yellowish green; sepals oblong, 10–15 × 4–5 mm, apex acuminate; lateral sepals slightly oblique; petals oblong-elliptic, 8–15 × 4–5 mm; lip dark purplish brown with green margins, 3-lobed, middle lobe strongly reflexed in natural position, nearly circular, 5–10 × 5–10 mm including lateral lobes, apex obtuse, lateral lobes incurved in natural position, truncate to obtuse; disc green; column green, 3–4 mm, apex blunt. Capsules ovoid, to 2 cm.


Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Old fields, pine savanna, and scrub oak lands
Elevation: 0–200[–500] m

Distribution

V26 1318-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Fla., La., N.C., S.C., West Indies (Cuba), South America (Colombia).

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Cyrtopodium stricta, described by Grisebach in 1866, is referable to this species (G. A. Romero-G. 1993). Despite the nomenclatural priority of the epithet stricta over ecristata, it cannot now be taken up in Pteroglossaspis because of the existence of P. stricta Schlechter, an African species described in 1915. Moreover, when Rolfe transferred Cyrtopodium ecristatum to Pteroglossaspis in 1904, he did not include Cyrtopodium strictum Grisebach within his concept of the species, and so his name Pteroglossaspis ecristata is legitimate. Pteroglossaspis ecristata has a spotty distribution throughout its range, perhaps because of its rather inconspicuous habit (D. S. Correll 1950).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Pteroglossaspis ecristata"
Gustavo A. Romero-González +
(Fernald) Rolfe +
Cyrtopodium ecristatum +
Ala. +, Fla. +, La. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, West Indies (Cuba) +  and South America (Colombia). +
0–200[–500] m +
Old fields, pine savanna, and scrub oak lands +
Flowering summer–fall. +
Orchid Rev. +
Illustrated +  and Conservation concern +
Bletia verecunda +, Cyrtopodium strictum +, Eulophia ecristata +, Triorchos ecristatus +  and Triorchos strictus +
Pteroglossaspis ecristata +
Pteroglossaspis +
species +