''Amesiella'' is a genus of

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the Island of

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

, in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
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Taxonomy

Previously it was believed that the species of this genus belonged to the genus ''Angraecum'' within the subtribe Angraecinae. The genus is named for

Oakes Ames Oakes Ames (January 10, 1804 – May 8, 1873) was an American businessman, investor, and politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. As a congressman, he is credited by many historians as being ...

(1874-1950), founder of the orchid herbarium at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

Description

These short-stemmed, miniature epiphytes form elliptic, coriaceous, distichous leaves. White flowers with pronounces spurs, indicating moth pollination, are formed on short, axillary racemes. Genera Orchidacearum Volume 6: Epidendroideae (Part 3) Alec M. Pridgeon / Phillip J. Cribb / Mark W. Chase / Finn N. Rasmussen 2014 OUP Oxford ISBN 978-0-19-100389-9

Species

As of May 2014, three species were recognized: * ''

Amesiella minor ''Amesiella minor'' is the smallest species of the genus ''Amesiella''. These miniature epiphytic orchids are native to the Philippines. Ecology and habitat This species grows on the island of Luzon at heights of 1200 m a.s.l.IOSPE PHOTOS. (n. ...

'' Senghas (1999) * ''

Amesiella monticola ''Amesiella monticola'' is a miniature species of epiphytic orchid native to the Philippines. The specific epithet "monticola" refers to the montaneous habitat of the species. Monticola is a combination of "mons" or "montis", meaning mountain and ...

'' Cootes & D.P.Banks (1998) * ''

Amesiella philippinensis ''Amesiella philippinensis'' is a species of orchid endemic to the Island of Luzon in the Philippines. Like ''Vanda falcata'' it was mistaken as an ''Angraecum The genus ''Angraecum'', abbreviated as Angcm in horticultural trade, common name c ...

'' (Ames) Garay (1972)

References

External links

* * Vandeae genera Orchids of the Philippines Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Vandeae-stub