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Prosthechea
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Prosthechea

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Prosthechea is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). The name is derived from the Greek word prostheke (appendix), referring to the appendage on the back of the column. Appendage orchid is a common name for this genus. Prosthechea is abbreviated Psh. in the horticultural trade.

Species

GENUS

  1. KingdomPlantae
  2. PhylumTracheophyta
  3. ClassLiliopsida
  4. OrderAsparagales
  5. FamilyOrchidaceae
Native toBahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba
Observations recorded55,388

via GBIF · Kew POWO

Museum specimens

Specimen records
280
With media
101
Family
Orchidaceae
Collections
IBUNAM, UNICACH, MICH, AMES, CICY, MO
Recorded in
Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Peru, Brasil, Perú

~17 min read

Encyclopedic overview

8 sections
Contents
  • Morphology
  • Taxonomy
  • Distribution
  • Species
  • Natural Hybrids
  • References
  • Footnotes
  • External links

Prosthechea is a genus of flowering plants in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). The name is derived from the Greek word prostheke (appendix), referring to the appendage on the back of the column. Appendage orchid is a common name for this genus. Prosthechea is abbreviated Psh. in the horticultural trade.

==Morphology== The roots of all Prosthechea species possess a velamen (a thick sponge-like covering) differentiated into epivelamen and endovelamen. Flavonoid crystals were observed in both the roots and leaves. The erect stems form flattened or thickened pseudobulbs. There are 1 to 3 terminal, sessile leaves. The leathery blade is ovate to lanceolate. (Euchile leaves are softer and thinner than other Prosthechea leaves.)

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Prosthechea” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (22)