US Virgin Islands Herbaria Network - Psychilis macconnelliae

Psychilis macconnelliae Sauleda

Family: Orchidaceae

Sandy Point Orchid, more...

Michael B. Thomas

Description
Flora Description (Ackerman, 1992)

Distribution: Found in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as a small to medium sized, hot growing lithophyte or epiphyte at elevations of sea level to 340 meters with cylindrical, longitudinally rugose with age, 3 noded pseudobulbs enveloped basally by a few scarious sheaths and carrying 2 apical, linear, obtuse, basally clasping leaves that blooms on a terminal, to 5' [150 cm] long, arching, several to many flowered inflorescence that can rebloom for years and occuring at any time of the year but mainly March through August.

Plants tough, usually caespitose epiphytes, occasionally growing terrestrially. Roots numerous from short stout rhizomes, 3-4 m m diam. Pseudobulbs cylindrical to pyriform, to 18 cm long. Leaves 2-4, stiff, coriaceous, linear-oblong, margins minutely toothed, 10-28 cm long, 0.8-3.0 cm wide. Scapes terminal, erect, stiff, partially covered by tubular scarious sheaths, 0.5-1.5 m long. Inflorescences short racemes, 1 to few lateral racemes produced near apex of scape on older shoots; buds and flowers clustered, produced sequentially; floral bracts scarious, ovate, acuminate, 1-3 m m long. Flowers showy, of various shades of red to lavender, sometimes blotched, resupinate. Pedicellate ovary slender, 2-3 cm long. Sepals oblong-oblanceolate, obtuse, 1.5-2 cm long, 4-7 m m wide. Petals linear-oblanceolate, obtuse, 1.5- 2 cm long, 3-4 m m wide. Lip with dark lines, trilobed, attached to basal half of the column; lateral lobes obovate, erect, flanking the column, 12 m m long, 8-10 m m wide; middle lobe obcordate, deeply notched; callus basal, bifid, elliptic, situated beneath the column; free portion of the lip with 3 parallel ribs, 2-2.8 cm long, 1.5-2.6 cm wide. Column straight, 5-9 m m long; pollinia yellow. Fruits ellipsoidal, 2-3.2 cm.

Discussion: Psychilis macconnelliae Sauleda, Phytologia 65: 18. 1988. Type. Sauleda & Sauleda 7785, from N E side of Water Isle, U.S. Virgin Islands (holotype, NY; isotypes, FTG, US, USF, not seen). Phenology & Pollination. Plants may flower throughout the year but most commonly in the spring. Flowers require the services of unknown pollinators to set fruit but do not offer rewards. Fruit set is low. Taxonomic Notes. Plants of our region have been variously identified as either Encyclia bifida (Aublet) Britton & Wilson, Epidendrum papilionaceum Vahl, or E. brittonianum A. D. Hawkes, the latter two names based on the same material as the former (Dressier, 1964; Withner, 1967). Sauleda (1988) noted that Psychilis bifida (Aublet) Sauleda is a species restricted to the northern regions of Haiti and that the "bifida" of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands represents a distinct species, P. macconnelliae.

Ackerman, J.D. 1992. The Orchids of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. University of Puerto Rico Press, San Juan, Puerto Rico. 168 p.

Ruben Sauleda named this species in honor of Mrs. Herbert McConnell of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Psychilis macconnelliae usually grows on small trees and shrubs and dry or moist coastal areas. It is perhaps one of the most spectacular members of the genus. Vegetatively it is very similar to three closely related species of Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands area. All have a fusiform pseudobulbs with one to several tough, linear leaves which often have denticulate margins. Inflorescences are long pedunculate, a meter or two in length, and they produce a succession of short racemes over a period of several years. However, the species are easily distinguished by their flowers. Those of P. macconnelliae are pinkinsh-lavender and vary considerably in color inensity and patterning.

The lips has three longitudinal ribs and is nearly 3 cm long and almost as broad. Psychilis macconnelliae has been the source of much taxonomic confusion. Until recently it has been regarded as either Epidendron bifidum Aublet or Encyclia bifida (Aublet) Britton & Wilson, both of which are synonyms of Psychilis bifia (Aublet) Sauleda, a species confined to northern Hispaniola. While rare and confined to a few localities on the eastern shores of Puerto Rico, endemic Psychilis macconnelliae is not uncommon on nearby islands, including Vieques, Culebra and the Virgin islands.

Pollinators of P. macconnelliae are unknown, bt the reporductive biology of the orchid is very similar to P. krugii and P. kraenzlinii.

Open Interactive Map

Maruja del Castilo Mayda, 1982

Michael B. Thomas

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Psychilis macconnelliae Sauleda Family: Orchidaceae Sandy Point Orchid, more... Michael B. Thomas Description Flora Description (Ackerman, 1992) Distribution: Found in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as a small to medium sized, hot growing lithophyte or epiphyte at elevations of sea level to 340 meters with cylindrical, longitudinally rugose with age, 3 noded pseudobulbs enveloped basally by a few scarious sheaths and carrying 2 apical, linear, obtuse, basally clasping leaves that blooms on a terminal, to 5' [150 cm] long, arching, several to many flowered inflorescence that can rebloom for years and occuring at any time of the year but mainly March through August. Plants tough, usually caespitose epiphytes, occasionally growing terrestrially. Roots numerous from short stout rhizomes, 3-4 m m diam. Pseudobulbs cylindrical to pyriform, to 18 cm long. Leaves 2-4, stiff, coriaceous, linear-oblong, margins minutely toothed, 10-28 cm long, 0.8-3.0 cm wide. Scapes terminal, erect, stiff, partially covered by tubular scarious sheaths, 0.5-1.5 m long. Inflorescences short racemes, 1 to few lateral racemes produced near apex of scape on older shoots; buds and flowers clustered, produced sequentially; floral bracts scarious, ovate, acuminate, 1-3 m m long. Flowers showy, of various shades of red to lavender, sometimes blotched, resupinate. Pedicellate ovary slender, 2-3 cm long. Sepals oblong-oblanceolate, obtuse, 1.5-2 cm long, 4-7 m m wide. Petals linear-oblanceolate, obtuse, 1.5- 2 cm long, 3-4 m m wide. Lip with dark lines, trilobed, attached to basal half of the column; lateral lobes obovate, erect, flanking the column, 12 m m long, 8-10 m m wide; middle lobe obcordate, deeply notched; callus basal, bifid, elliptic, situated beneath the column; free portion of the lip with 3 parallel ribs, 2-2.8 cm long, 1.5-2.6 cm wide. Column straight, 5-9 m m long; pollinia yellow. Fruits ellipsoidal, 2-3.2 cm. Discussion: Psychilis macconnelliae Sauleda, Phytologia 65: 18. 1988. Type. Sauleda & Sauleda 7785, from N E side of Water Isle, U.S. Virgin Islands (holotype, NY; isotypes, FTG, US, USF, not seen). Phenology & Pollination. Plants may flower throughout the year but most commonly in the spring. Flowers require the services of unknown pollinators to set fruit but do not offer rewards. Fruit set is low. Taxonomic Notes. Plants of our region have been variously identified as either Encyclia bifida (Aublet) Britton & Wilson, Epidendrum papilionaceum Vahl, or E. brittonianum A. D. Hawkes, the latter two names based on the same material as the former (Dressier, 1964; Withner, 1967). Sauleda (1988) noted that Psychilis bifida (Aublet) Sauleda is a species restricted to the northern regions of Haiti and that the "bifida" of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands represents a distinct species, P. macconnelliae. Ackerman, J.D. 1992. The Orchids of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. University of Puerto Rico Press, San Juan, Puerto Rico. 168 p. Ruben Sauleda named this species in honor of Mrs. Herbert McConnell of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Psychilis macconnelliae usually grows on small trees and shrubs and dry or moist coastal areas. It is perhaps one of the most spectacular members of the genus. Vegetatively it is very similar to three closely related species of Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands area. All have a fusiform pseudobulbs with one to several tough, linear leaves which often have denticulate margins. Inflorescences are long pedunculate, a meter or two in length, and they produce a succession of short racemes over a period of several years. However, the species are easily distinguished by their flowers. Those of P. macconnelliae are pinkinsh-lavender and vary considerably in color inensity and patterning. The lips has three longitudinal ribs and is nearly 3 cm long and almost as broad. Psychilis macconnelliae has been the source of much taxonomic confusion. Until recently it has been regarded as either Epidendron bifidum Aublet or Encyclia bifida (Aublet) Britton & Wilson, both of which are synonyms of Psychilis bifia (Aublet) Sauleda, a species confined to northern Hispaniola. While rare and confined to a few localities on the eastern shores of Puerto Rico, endemic Psychilis macconnelliae is not uncommon on nearby islands, including Vieques, Culebra and the Virgin islands. Pollinators of P. macconnelliae are unknown, bt the reporductive biology of the orchid is very similar to P. krugii and P. kraenzlinii. Open Interactive Map Maruja del Castilo Mayda, 1982 Michael B. Thomas Click to Display 3 Total Images View Parent Taxon
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Copyright ©2018. This project is managed by the St. George Village Botanical Garden and the portal development is powered by Symbiota software. Usage Policy.