Octarrhena

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Octarrhena
Phreatia nana - Hooker's Icones Plantarum vol. 21 pl. 2084 (1892).jpg
Illustration of Phreatia nana (now known as Octarrhena parvula ) from Hooker's Icones Plantarum [1]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Podochileae
Subtribe: Thelasiinae
Genus: Octarrhena
Thwaites [2]
Type species
Octarrhena parvula
Thwaites
Synonyms [2]

Octarrhena, commonly known as grub orchids, [3] is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tiny flowers. The labellum is rigidly attached to the base of the column. There are about fifty species native to areas from Sri Lanka and Malesia to the Western Pacific.

Contents

Description

Orchids in the genus Octarrhena are small epiphytic, lithophytic or terrestrial herbs with thin roots and short stems with short, thick, fleshy leaves, their bases sheathing the stem. A large number of tiny, usually white, cream-coloured, yellowish or greenish flowers are arranged on a flowering stem arising from a leaf axil. The sepals and petals are free from each other, the petals usually much smaller than the sepals. The labellum is small, unlobed, rigidly fixed to the column and lacks a spur. [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Octarrhena was first formally described in 1861 by George Henry Kendrick Thwaites who published the description in Enumeratio plantarum Zeylaniae. [2] [6] The name Octarrhena is derived from the Ancient Greek words okto meaning "eight" [7] :296 and arrhen meaning "male" or "masculine", [7] :509 referring the eight free pollinia in the anther. [4]

Species list

The following is a list of species of Octarrhena recognised by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at January 2019: [2]

Distribution

Orchids in the genus Octarrhena are found in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Borneo, Java, Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatra, the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Queensland (Australia), Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Caroline Islands. [2]

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Spathoglottis, commonly known as purple orchids or 苞舌兰属 is a genus of about fifty species of orchids in the family Orchidaceae. They are evergreen terrestrial herbs with crowded pseudobulbs, a small number of leaves and medium-sized resupinate flowers on an upright flowering stem. The sepals and petals are all similar to each other and are white, yellow, pink or purple. Species of Spathoglottis are found from eastern and south-eastern Asia to Australia and some Pacific Islands.

<i>Thrixspermum</i> Genus of orchids

Thrixspermum, commonly known as hairseeds or 白点兰属 , is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytes, lithophytes or terrestrial plants with flat, leathery leaves and short-lived flowers with the sepals and petals more or less similar to each other. The labellum is rigidly fixed to the column and has three lobes. The side lobes are erect and the middle lobe is thick and fleshy. There are about 190 species distributed from tropical and subtropical Asia to the Western Pacific. Most species grow in lowland or tropical rainforests up to an altitude of 1,200 m.

<i>Calanthe</i> Genus of orchids

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<i>Phaius</i> Genus of orchids

Phaius, commonly known as swamp orchids or in Chinese as 鶴頂蘭屬/鹤顶兰属 , is a genus of forty-five species of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. They are evergreen, terrestrial herbs which form clumps with crowded, sometimes stem-like pseudobulbs, large, pleated leaves and relatively large, often colourful flowers. Species in this genus are found in the tropical parts of Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. One species is also naturalized in Hawaii, Florida, and the Caribbean.

<i>Zeuxine</i> Genus of orchids

Zeuxine, commonly known as verdant jewel orchids, is a genus of about eighty species of orchids in the tribe Cranichideae. They are native to parts of tropical Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia and some Pacific Islands. They have relatively narrow, dark green leaves and small, dull-coloured resupinate flowers with the dorsal sepal and petals overlapping to form a hood over the column. The labellum has a pouched base and its tip has two lobes.

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

Corybas, commonly known as helmet orchids, is a genus of about 120 species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Helmet orchids are small, perennial, deciduous herbs and are nearly always terrestrial. They have a single leaf at their base and a single flower on a short stalk, the flower dominated by its large dorsal sepal and labellum. Species of Corybas are found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, southern China, many Pacific islands and a few sub-Antarctic islands.

<i>Didymoplexis</i> Genus of plants

Didymoplexis, commonly known as crystal orchids or as 双唇兰属 , is a genus of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae, about twenty species of which have been described. Orchids in this genus have swollen, fleshy rhizomes and thin, pale, upright fleshy flowering stems with resupinate, bell-shaped white or pale yellowish brown flowers. They are native to Africa, Madagascar, Southeast Asia, Australia and various islands of the Pacific.

<i>Aphyllorchis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Aphyllorchis, commonly known as pauper orchids or as 無葉蘭屬/无叶兰属 , is a genus of about twenty species of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have fleshy, upright stems and small to medium-sized resupinate flowers with narrow sepals and petals. They are native to a region extending from India east to China and Japan, south to Indonesia, New Guinea and Queensland.

<i>Bryobium</i> Genus of orchids

Bryobium, commonly known as urchin orchids or 藓兰属 , is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytic or lithophytic plants with large, fleshy pseudobulbs, each with up to three leathery leaves and small, often hairy flowers. These orchids are found from tropical Asia to northern Australia.

<i>Phreatia</i> Genus of orchids

Phreatia, commonly known as lace orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae, native to regions bordering the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Plants in this genus are epiphytes, sometimes with pseudobulbs, in which case there are usually one or two leaves. Others lack pseudobulbs but have up to twelve leaves. A large number of small white or greenish flowers are borne on a flowering stem emerging from a leaf axil or from the base of the pseudobulb when present but the flowers do not open widely. There are about 220 species, distributed from tropical and subtropical Asia to the Pacific.

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

Tropidia, commonly known as crown orchids, is a genus of about thirty species of evergreen terrestrial orchids in the family Orchidaceae. They have thin, wiry stems with two or more tough, pleated leaves with a flowering spike at the top of the stem, bearing crowded flowers. Species in this genus are distributed across the warmer parts of both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

<i>Bromheadia</i> Genus of orchids

Bromheadia, commonly known as reed orchids, is a genus of about 29 species of orchids in the family Orchidaceae. They are evergreen terrestrial and epiphytic plants with unbranched stems, the leaves arranged in two rows along the flowering stem. The flowers appear in succession near the end of the flowering stem with the sepals and petals free from each other. The labellum is like a landing platform and has three lobes. They are native to areas from tropical Asia to northern Australia.

<i>Robiquetia</i> Genus of orchids

Robiquetia, commonly known as pouched orchids, or 寄树兰属 , is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are epiphytes with long, sometimes branched, fibrous stems, leathery leaves in two ranks and large numbers of small, densely crowded flowers on a pendulous flowering stem. There are about eighty species found from tropical and subtropical Asia to the Western Pacific.

<i>Trichoglottis</i> Genus of orchid

Trichoglottis, commonly known as cherub orchids or 毛舌兰属 , is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytic plants with thick roots, relatively thick, fibrous stems and many large, thick, leathery leaves arranged in two ranks. The flowers are usually small and yellowish with light brown or purple markings. The flowers have broad sepals, narrower petals and a labellum which has three lobes and is often hairy. There are about 85 species distributed from tropical and subtropical Asia to the north-western Pacific. Most species grow in rainforest.

<i>Brachypeza</i> Genus of orchids

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<i>Vrydagzynea</i> Genus of orchids

Vrydagzynea, commonly called tonsil orchids, is a genus of orchids in the tribe Cranichideae. About forty five species of Vrydagzynea have been formally described. They are native to India, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Malesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. A single species in Australia is possibly extinct. They have thinly textured, stalked leaves and small, dull-coloured resupinate flowers with the dorsal sepal and petals overlapping to form a hood over the column.

<i>Thelasis</i> Genus of orchids

Thelasis, commonly known as fly orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are usually epiphytes, sometimes lithophytes or rarely terrestrials. Some species have pseudobulbs with up to three leaves, whilst others have several leaves in two ranks. A large number of small, white or greenish yellow flowers are borne on a thin, arching flowering stem. There are about thirty species, distributed from tropical and subtropical Asia to the southwest Pacific.

<i>Peristylus</i> Genus of orchids

Peristylus, sometimes commonly known as ogre orchids or bog orchids is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It consists of over 100 known species found across much of eastern and southern Asia as well as in Australia and on many islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Schoenorchis</i> Genus of orchids

Schoenorchis, commonly known as flea orchids, or 匙唇兰属 , is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small epiphytes with thin roots, thin leafy stems with leaves in two ranks and tiny fragrant, almost tube-shaped flowers with a prominently spurred labellum. There are about twenty five species found from tropical and subtropical Asia to the Western Pacific.

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

Trachoma, commonly known as spectral orchids, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytic plants with leafy stems, crowded, leathery leaves arranged in two ranks and a large number of relatively small, short-lived flowers that often open in successive clusters. The sepals and petals are free from and more or less similar to each other, except that the petals are often smaller. The labellum is rigidly fixed to the column and is more or less sac-shaped. There are about 17 species distributed from Assam to the Western Pacific Ocean. Most species grow in rainforests, often on emergent trees such as hoop pine.

References

  1. Hooker, William J. (1892). Icones Plantarum. Vol. 21. London. p. 2084. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Octarrhena". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 471. ISBN   1877069124.
  4. 1 2 D.L.Jones; T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). "Octarrhena". Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids . Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  5. "Genus Octarrhena". Orchids of New Guinea. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  6. Thwaites, George H.K. (1861). Enumeratio plantarum Zeylaniae. London: Dulau & Co. p. 305. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  7. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.