Aspasia (orchids)

Aspasia
	Aspasia variegata - flower
Systematics
Order :	Asparagales (Asparagales)
Family :	Orchids (orchidaceae)
Subfamily :	Epidendroideae
Tribe :	Maxillarieae
Sub tribus :	Oncidiinae
Genre :	Aspasia
Scientific name
	Aspasia
	Lindl.

Aspasia variegata - plant

The genus Aspasia from the family of the orchid (Orchidaceae) includes eight plant species , which are located in Central and South America for Guatemala to Brazil. The small, perennial plants grow epiphytically .

description

All species of this genus form pseudobulbs on a creeping rhizome at a short distance . These are elongated oval, laterally strongly compressed with a ridge on each side, with a short stalk at the base. The pseudobulbs are surrounded by foliage -like lower leaves , at the tip of the pseudobulbs there are one or two leaves . The leaves are smooth and folded down the middle at the bud. The leaf shape is lanceolate , narrowing at the base.

The little flowered, racemose inflorescence appears laterally from the base of the pseudobulbs and does not protrude beyond the leaves. The resupinated flowers have narrow sepals and petals of the same shape, which can be free or grown together at the base. The petals are slightly smaller than the sepals. The lip is indistinctly three-lobed and fused with the lower half of the column , the free part then bends perpendicular to the column. The column itself is straight, the stamen is at its end and contains two pollinia . These are connected to a round adhesive organ (viscidium) via a small stalk.

distribution

The species of the genus Aspasia have a wide distribution from Guatemala over the north of South America to Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador. There they grow as epiphytes in the humid rainforests of the low-lying areas.

Systematics

Within the subfamily Epidendroideae , the genus Aspasia is classified in the tribe Maxillarieae and there the subtribe Oncidiinae .

The following eight species have been described in this genus:

Aspasia epidendroides Lindl. (1834): Central America to Colombia.
Aspasia lunata Lindl. (1836): Northeastern Bolivia to Brazil.
Aspasia lyrata (Vell.) Rchb.f. (1852): Brazil. It is also called Epidendrum lyratum Vell. placed in the genus Epidendrum .
Aspasia omissa Christenson (2004): Colombia.
Aspasia principissa Rchb.f. (1852 :) Central America to Colombia and Brazil.
Aspasia psittacina (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f. : (1878) Ecuador.
Aspasia silvana F. Barros (1989): Brazil.
Aspasia variegata Lindl. (1836): Trinidad to northern South America and Brazil.

Culture

Occasionally, these species can be found in culture, such as Aspasia lunata . They need relatively high temperatures with uniform humidity.

photos

Aspasia epidendroides
Aspasia lunata
Aspasia principissa
Aspasia psittacina
Aspasia silvana

literature

CH Dodson, CA Luer (2005): Orchidaceae part 2 (Aa-Cyrtidiorchis) . In: G. Harling, L. Andersson (Eds.): Flora of Ecuador . Vol. 76, p. 47ff. Botanical Institute, Göteborg University, ISBN 91-88896-51-X
Jürgen Röth (1983): Orchids . P. 129ff. VEB German Agricultural Publishing House Berlin.

Individual evidence

^ Robert L. Dressler (1993): Phylogeny and Classification of the Orchid Family . P. 179. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-45058-6
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Aspasia. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved April 6, 2020.

Web links

Commons : Aspasia - album with pictures, videos and audio files

[1] Robert L. Dressler (1993): Phylogeny and Classification of the Orchid Family . P. 179. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-45058-6

[WCSP-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Aspasia. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved April 6, 2020.