Isabelia

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Isabelia
Isabelia virginalis.jpg
Isabelia virginalis
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Laeliinae
Genus: Isabelia
Barb.Rodr.
Type species
Isabelia virginalis
Species [1]
Synonyms [1]

Isabelia is an orchid genus formed by three tiny species and one natural hybrid, spread from the Northeast of Brazil to Argentina, which are closely related to the genus Constantia . During more than a century Isabelia was a genus formed by just one species, however, around 1968, it was merged with genus Neolauchea, also unispecific. In 2001, a third genus was added to it, Sophronitella. The genus name is abbreviated Isa. in cultivation. [2]

Contents

Distribution

Isabelia violacea is the largest Isabelia species and also the most showy. Isabelia violacea.jpg
Isabelia violacea is the largest Isabelia species and also the most showy.

Isabelia are epiphytic or rarely rupicolous species that are just occasionally found but usually grow into large colonies, spread in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil from north Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, both in the humid slopes of Serra do Mar and in the drier forests of the Brazilian Plateau, from sea level to fifteen hundred meters of altitude. I. virginalis is also found in Paraguay and north of Argentina.

Isabelia pulchella exists from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul, [3] where it is more common growing epiphytically along the coastal montane areas. Isabelia is the species exposed to the higher amount of constant humidity.

Isabelia violacea is the species that can be found farther north, from Bahia State to Rio Grande do Sul, where grows epiphytically and is also common inhabiting the streams, banks, and open jungles of campos rupestres of Minas Gerais and Bahia States at around eleven hundred meters of altitude occasionally as a rupicolous under full sunlight.

Isabelia virginalis is often found epiphytically in semi-deciduous forest in São Paulo and Paraná from two to five hundred meters of altitude but can reach fifteen hundred in Minas Gerais mountains, not rarely living as a lithophyte at these elevations. It grows both on main stems and mid-height and high branches of trees, where it is exposed to plenty of luminosity, humidity and ventilation.

Isabelia × pabstii, a natural hybrid of Isabelia pulchella and I. violacea, previously known as Isanitella × pabstii, is known from a collection only, in Paraná State, South of Brazil, growing in the crevices and debris pockets of eroded sandstone outcroppings in Vila Velha, near Ponta Grossa. [4] It has lavender pink flowers with a whiter labellum. [5]

Description

Isabelia have unifoliated ovoid to fusiform pseudobulbs, linear or acicular leaves, and erect apical inflorescence bearing one of few flowers. The flowers have petals, sepals and labellum of the same color, which can be white, pale pink or magenta. Their sepals are widely elliptical to ovate; the petals can be narrower and oblong or wider elliptic. The labellum is entire and oblong. The labellum may be entirely free or partially fused to the column forming a nectary. The column is stout and darker than the rest of the flower and may have four or eight pollinia. [6]

All Isabelia species bloom from early autumn to early winter and their flowers last for about a week. Nothing is known about their pollinators. They have no known uses other than horticultural. Isabelia species are not very easy to cultivate. All species can be grown mounted on vegetable plaques and need plenty of humidity and ventilation and moderate to high luminosity. As these species suffer from frequent repotting it is good to leave room enough for five years of development. Their roots should not be kept humid during the night so morning waterings are preferred. [7]

Taxonomic notes

The first species of Isabelia to be discovered was I. virginalis. It was collected in Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro and sent to Europe by George Gardner, in 1837. At that time it was regarded as possibly a Maxillaria species. Despite having been known for long time, for some unknown reason, Isabelia virginalis remained without a formal description and scientific name until 1877, [8] when João Barbosa Rodrigues found several specimens of it in Caldas, Minas Gerais on the trees around jungle clearances. [9] The name of this genus is an homage to Isabel, the Princess of Brazil, the daughter of D. Pedro II, Emperor at the time Barbosa Rodrigues published his book.

The first Isabelia species to be formally described was Sophronitis violacea, by John Lindley in 1840. It is a very short description where he mentions it does not have red flowers like the other Sophronitis species. [10] In 1891, the botanist Carl Kuntze proposed it should be better identified as Sophronia violacea. [11] In 1925, Rudolf Schlechter suggested the new genus Sophronitella to classify this species. The names was a reference to the tiny size of the plant and flowers that resembled a smaller Sophronitis. [12]

The last Isabelia species to be described was originally published by Friedrich Kraenzlin, in 1897, as Neolauchea pulchella in homage to Director Lauche of Liechtenstein Botanic Gardens. [13] In 1905 Andre Porsch, probably not aware of the previous description by Kraenzlin, described this species again as Meiracyllium wettsteinii. [14] In 1968, Karheinz Senghas and H. Teuscher suggested the combination of Neulauchea with Isabelia, however, because they did not mention the publication information of the basionym, as required by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, their combination is considered invalid. [15]

According to Cássio van den Berg, who studied their phylogeny, Isabelia is closely related to Pseudolaelia and Constantia and all three form a sister clade to another small clade that includes Leptotes and Loefgrenianthus. [16] The two clades constitute the Isabelia alliance, formed by plants that share stout columns, sometimes partially adnate to the labellum forming round nectaries, and is one of the eight clades of subtribus Laeliinae. [6] Therefore, in 2001, Cássio van den Berg and Mark W. Chase suggested the combination of Neolauchea and Sopronitella within Isabelia. [17]

Species

Isabelia pulchella is the only Isabelia species with an elongated rhizome. Isabelia pulchella.jpg
Isabelia pulchella is the only Isabelia species with an elongated rhizome.

Although the three species of Isabelia share several morphological characteristics, they are highly different from each other and very easy to identify, both through vegetative qualities and from particularities on their flowers. Although all species today are subordinated to the same genus, many orchid collectors and some taxonomists prefer the former names. [18] The reason to unify the genera was to make clear their close relationship and to reduce the number of accepted genera, however, the use of former genera names does not imply any inconvenience of phylogenetic classification and does not create polyphyletic genera.

The former genus Neolauchea, whose only species is now Isabelia pulchella , is the only one with an elongated rhizome, therefore, very spaced pseudobulbs, topped by a highly narrow and long concave leaf that almost seems to be terete at first sight. Their ovaries become visibly swallowed at their junction to the column foot where the base of the labellum is partially fused forming a nectary. It has four pollinia.

Former Sophronitella species, now Isabelia violacea , is the largest species of Isabelia; with a short rhizome, more robust and erect pseudobulbs, with an almost flat leathery leaf. This species is the only to show more than one flower per inflorescence, up to three. It has the most opened flowers with sepals and petals of similar shape. [19] The flower color and shape are remarkably constant in this species and just a few alba form specimens have been collected since it was discovered. It has a free labellum and eight pollinia. [20]

The core Isabelia species, Isabelia virginalis , presents a short reptant rhizome with pseudobulbs of terete leaves, completely covered by dried stealths formed by a loose tissue of fibers interlaced as a rustic network. Their labelli are partially fused to the column forming a nectary. Their flowers always are pale pink, almost white, and have eight pollinia. [21]

Related Research Articles

Orchidaceae Orchid family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales

Orchidaceae, commonly called the orchid family, is a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.

<i>Brassavola</i> Genus of orchids

Brassavola is a genus of 21 orchids. They were named in 1813 by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown. The name comes from the Italian nobleman and physician Antonio Musa Brassavola. This genus is abbreviated B. in trade journals.

<i>Cattleya</i> Genus of orchids

Cattleya is a genus of orchids from Costa Rica south to Argentina. The genus is abbreviated C in trade journals.

<i>Laelia</i> Genus of orchids

Laelia is a small genus of 25 species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). Laelia species are found in areas of subtropical or temperate climate in Central and South America, but mostly in Mexico. Laelia is abbreviated L. in the horticultural trade.

<i>Miltonia</i> Genus of orchids

Miltonia, abbreviated Milt. in the horticultural trade, is an orchid genus comprising twelve epiphyte species and eight natural hybrids. The miltonias are exclusively inhabitants of Brazil, except for one species whose range extends from Brazil into the northeast of Argentina and the east of Paraguay.

<i>Epidendrum</i> Genus of orchids

Epidendrum, abbreviated Epi in the horticultural trade, is a large neotropical genus of the orchid family. With more than 1,500 species, some authors describe it as a mega-genus. The genus name refers to its epiphytic growth habit.

<i>Encyclia</i> Genus of orchids

Encyclia is a genus of orchids. The genus name comes from Greek enkykleomai, referring to the lateral lobes of the lip which encircle the column. It is abbreviated as E. in the horticultural trade.

<i>Hormidium</i> Genus of orchids

Within the Orchidaceae, Hormidium was originally a subgenus of the genus Epidendrum, but was later raised to a full genus. It is now considered not to be distinct from the genus Prosthechea, of which it is a synonym. Most of the species of Hormidium have been transferred to Prosthechea, although others are now classified in Encyclia, Epidendrum, Homalopetalum, and Lepanthes.

<i>Leptotes</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

Leptotes, abbreviated Lpt in horticultural trade, is a genus of orchids formed by nine small species that grow in the dry jungles of south and southeast Brazil, and also in Paraguay or Argentina. They are small epiphytic plants of caespitose growth that sometimes resemble little Brassavola, as they share the same type of thin terete leaves, though they are more closely related to Loefgrenianthus.

Laeliinae Subtribe of orchids

Laeliinae is a Neotropical subtribe including 40 orchid genera, such as Brassavola, Laelia and Cattleya. The genus Epidendrum is the largest within this subtribe, containing about 1500 species. This is followed by the genus Encyclia, with over 120 species.

<i>Aspasia</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

Aspasia, abbreviated as Asp. in the horticultural trade, is a genus of 7 species of orchids occurring from southern Mexico to southern Brazil. The genus is closely related to Miltonia and Brassia. Aspasia species have few medium size flowers of exquisite colors which are occasionally cultivated or used to produce artificial hybrids.

<i>Bifrenaria</i> Genus of orchids

Bifrenaria, abbreviated Bif. in horticultural trade, is a genus of plants in family Orchidaceae. It contains 20 species found in Panama, Trinidad and South America. There are no known uses for them, but their abundant, and at first glance artificial, flowers, make them favorites of orchid growers.

<i>Scuticaria</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

Scuticaria is a genus of orchids comprising 9 species native to Belize, Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. Members of this genus have showy flowers and long cylindrical leaves. They are epiphytic, occasionally lithophytic or terrestrial, that grow pending and are cespitously, or reptant and ascending, which exist is three isolated areas of South America, in Ecuador, Amazon Forest and Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira mountains, in Brazil, both in shady and sunny places.

<i>Scaphyglottis</i> Genus of orchids

Scaphyglottis is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central America, northern South America and parts of the Caribbean. The current concept of this genus is the result of combining several genera which have been described at various times. The concept is characterized by the growth habit: not only are new pseudobulbs added at the base of the old ones, but new pseudobulbs also grow at the apices of the old ones. Many species are quite similar and difficult to distinguish, but some are clearly distinct. A few have showy colors. The genus comprises nearly 70 species.

<i>Cattleya maxima</i> Species of plant

Cattleya maxima is a species of orchid in subfamily Epidendroideae found from Ecuador to Peru.

<i>Cattleya crispa</i> Species of orchid

Cattleya crispa is a species of orchid indigenous to the Tijuca Mountains north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, noted for its crisped and ruffled petals and lip. It is the type species for both the subgenus Cattleya subg. Crispae and its section Cattleya sect. Crispae.

<i>Loefgrenianthus</i> Genus of orchids

Loefgrenianthus blanche-amesiae is a showy orchid species, inhabitant of Serra do Mar mountains in Brazilian southeast. It is the only species of the monotypic genus Loefgrenianthus. It can be differentiated from its closest genus, Leptotes, both because of its pending vegetation with flat leaves and the flowers which have a saccate labellum. Loefgrenianthus blanche-amesiae is highly appreciated by orchid collectors.

<i>Cattleya cernua</i> Species of orchid

Cattleya cernua, commonly known as the nodding sophronitis, is a species of orchid occurring from Brazil to northeastern Argentina. It was the type species of the genus Sophronitis until the genus was made synonymous with Cattleya. Twenty plants of C. cernua have received a total of 22 AOS awards. The described flowers range from 1.9 cm to 3.2 cm horizontal spread and from 2.0 cm to 3.0 cm vertical spread.

<i>Cattleya rex</i> Species of plant

Cattleya rex is a species of epiphytic orchid of showy white flowers, native to montane forests in Peru and Bolivia.

Cássio van den Berg is a Brazilian botanist. He is noted for work in orchid classification and evolution, especially great changes in the generic circumscriptions of ornamental orchids in the genus Cattleya, based on DNA studies for the subtribe Laeliinae. Based on this studies, he proposed a fusion of the genera Cattleya and Sophronitis, and also included in this genus the Brazilian species of Laelia. In Laeliinae, the studies pointed out to the separation of subtribe Ponerinae, and the transfer of Dilomilis and Neocogniauxia to Pleurothallidinae. He also worked in the taxonomy of other orchid genera, such as Acianthera, Baptistonia, Bulbophyllum, Cymbidium, Encyclia, Galeandra, Isabelia and Pleione. In 2004, he described a new genus of Laeliinae, Adamantinia Van den Berg & C.N.Gonç. Currently he is full professor and curator of the Laboratory of Plant Molecular Systematics. at Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil.

References

  1. 1 2 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ↑ Alphabetical List of Standard Abbreviations for Natural and Hybrid Generic Names, 2017, Royal Horticultural Society.
  3. ↑ Pabst, Guido & Dungs, Fritz (1975). Orchidaceae Brasilienses 1: 148, Brucke-Verlag Kurt Schmersow, Hildesheim. ISBN   3-87105-010-6
  4. ↑ Leinig, Milton (1971). Isanitella, a new intergeneric hybrid in American Orchid Society Bulletin vol. 40: 709–12.
  5. ↑ Withner, Carl Leslie (1990). Isabelia virginalis in The Cattleyas and Their Relatives, Vol. 3, p.89. Timber Press, Oregon. ISBN   0-88192-269-2
  6. 1 2 Van den Berg, Cássio (2006). Isabelia in Genera Orchidacearum Vol.4, pp. 360–2. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-850712-3.
  7. ↑ Miller, David; Richard Warren; Izabel Moura Miller & Helmut Seehawer (2006). Sopronitella violacea in Serra dos Órgãos sua história e suas orquídeas, p. 240. Rio de Janeiro.
  8. ↑ Miller, David; Richard Warren; Izabel Moura Miller & Helmut Seehawer (2006). Isabelia virginalis in Serra dos Órgãos sua história e suas orquídeas, p. 235. Rio de Janeiro.
  9. ↑ Barbosa Rodrigues, João (1877). Isabelia virginalis in Genera et species orchidacearum novarum Vol.1, p.75. Rio de Janeiro. Published on the Internet, in French and Latin.
  10. ↑ Lindley, John (1840). Sophronitis violacea in Edwards's botanical register 26 (misc.): 18. Ed. James Ridgway, London.
  11. ↑ Kuntze (1891). Sophronia violacea in Revis. Genera Plantarum 2: 681.
  12. ↑ Schlechter, Rudolf (1295). Sophronitella violacea in Repert. Species Novarum Regni Veg. Beih. 35: 76.
  13. ↑ Kraenzlin, Friedrich (1897). Neolauchea pulchella in Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 110.
  14. ↑ Porsch, Andre (1905). Meiracyllium wettsteinii in Oesterr. Bot. Zeitung 55: 160.
  15. ↑ Teuscher, H. (1968). Isabelia virginalis and I. pulchella in American Orchid Society Bulletin vol. 37: 502–3.
  16. ↑ Van den Berg, Cássio et al (2000). "A Phylogenetic analysis of Laellinae based on sequence data from internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA" in Lindleyana vol.15-2, pp. 96–114. Published on Internet [ permanent dead link ].
  17. ↑ Van den Berg, C. & Chase, M.W. (2001). "Nomenclatural notes on Laeliinae - II. Additional combinations and notes" in Lindleyana 16(2): 109–112. Published on the Internet. Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ Withner, Carl Leslie (1990). Neolauchea pulchella in The Cattleyas and Their Relatives, Vol. 3, pp.100-1. Timber Press, Oregon. ISBN   0-88192-269-2
  19. ↑ Hoehne, Frederico C. (1940). "Introduction" in Flora Brasílica, Vol 12-1: 30. Secretaria de Agricultura de São Paulo.
  20. ↑ Withner, Carl Leslie (1990). Sobronitella violacea in The Cattleyas and Their Relatives, Vol. 3, pp.118-9. Timber Press, Oregon. ISBN   0-88192-269-2
  21. ↑ Johnson, Andrés E. (2001). Isabelia virginalis in Las orquídeas del Parque Nacional Iguazú, pp. 102–3. Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, Buenos Aires. ISBN   950-9725-41-2
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