Orchidaceae

Rodriguezia

Representative Image
Representative image.

Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Genus Parent: Orchidaceae Status: Valid

Morphological Description

Diagnosis: Plants of Rodriguezia form tangled clumps by virtue of the combination of clasping roots and aerial roots. Most species bear 2-3 pairs of foliaceous bracts subequal to the leaves. In addition, the flowers are usually secund (all turned to one side). The genus is closest to Scelochilus which differs by not having foliaceous bracts or column wings and by having a multiseriate callus with a basal pair of introrse horns.

Vegetative Morphology

Habit: Caespitose epiphytes. Roots wiry, often aerial and unattached to the substrate. Pseudobulbs ellipsoid, compressed, subtended by foliaceous bracts subequal to the leaves.

Leaves: Leaves one, linear-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, acute, leathery.

Reproductive Morphology

Inflorescence: Inflorescences pedunculate second racemes, the floral bracts prominent, persistent.

Flowers: Flowers showy, usually cruciform. Dorsal sepal and petals free, subsimilar or the petals broader, the lateral sepals fused for their length, continued at the base into a conspicuous recurved spur. Lip unlobed, usually fan-shaped and notched at the apex, the callus 1-3 pairs of superposed low keels. Column straight, club-shaped, with a pair of tooth-like wings below the stigma; pollinia 2, notched, on a common slender stipe and minute viscidium.