''Eulophia'', commonly known as corduroy orchids, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of about two hundred species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the orchid family,

Orchidaceae 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 ...

. Most ''Eulophia'' orchids are terrestrial but some are

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

while others are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

. They either have an underground

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

or pseudobulbs on the surface and those species with leaves have them on the end of a fleshy stem. The flowers are arranged on a thin flowering spike, the flowers having

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s which are larger than the

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s. The

is widely distributed but most species are found in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

, usually growing in shady places with grass or shrubs in forests.

Description

Orchids in the genus ''Eulophia'' are mostly terrestrial

herbs In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

with either an underground rhizome or pseudobulbs on the surface. The only two

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

species occur on

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. Many species have no leaves, but when leaves are present they are long and narrow, sometimes pleated. The flowers are borne on a flowering stem which sometimes appears before the leaves with a few to many flowers. The flowers in some species are small but others have large, showy flowers in a wide range of colours. The sepals are usually larger than the petals but the labellum has three lobes and a spur or pouch at its base.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Eulophia'' was first formally described by

John Lindley John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...

in 1821 and the description was published in '' The Botanical Register''. Because Robert Brown had previously used the name ''Eulophia'' in describing ''Lissochilus speciosus'', and the name of that species was changed to ''

Eulophia speciosa ''Eulophia speciosa'' is a species of terrestrial orchid found from Ethiopia to South Africa and in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The plants usually grow in grasslands in sandy soils or in clay.http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/eulophspec.htm , ret ...

'', Brown is the accepted author of the name. "Eulophia" is derived from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

words ''eu'' meaning "good", "well" or "true" and ''lophos'' meaning "mane", "crest", "comb", "tuft" or "ridge", possibly referring to the labellum callus of some species.

Distribution and habitat

Orchids in the genus ''Eulophia'' are distributed in shady rainforests or in open scrub or woodland in the tropics and subtropics of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, and the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

, although most are found in Africa. Many can survive the dry season through their large bulbous ‘corms’. Some species, such as '' Eulophia petersii'', have adapted to very arid environments and are among the few orchids to have truly evolved

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

living species.

Use in horticulture

In the frost-free, semi-arid areas of Southern California, many ''Eulophia'' species, such as '' E. macra'', '' E. petersii'', '' E. plantaginea'', and '' E. speciosa'', can be grown outdoors year-round in well-drained pots with cactus/succulent potting mix (although ''E. speciosa'' prefers being grown in pure white sand), as long as they are given ample light through the winter and a drier winter resting period. Warmer growers, such as '' E. pulchra'' and possibly even the extremely rare and difficult '' E. cucullata'' (the foxglove orchid), can probably be grown outdoors in the warmer south areas of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

and

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, also. The generally large, underground, fleshy

indicates a sympodial growth habit, and this makes Eulophias fairly easy to divide and propagate, provided the grower is gentle.

Species

See List of ''Eulophia'' species

Hybrids

Primary hybrids

As of 9 Sept 2021, the following primary hybrids have been registered with the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

: * ''Eulophia'' 'Allan Abel' ('' E. streptopetala'' x '' E. guineensis'') * ''Eulophia'' 'Douglas McMurtry' ('' E. ovalis'' x '' E. speciosa'') * ''Eulophia'' × ''flavopurpurea'' ('' E. cristata'' x '' E. millsonii'') * ''Eulophia'' 'Jaco Truter' ('' E. hereroensis'' x '' E. streptopetala'') * ''Eulophia'' 'Jeannie Wolff' ('' E. streptopetala'' x '' E. speciosa'') * ''Eulophia'' 'John Davison' ('' E. euglossa'' x '' E. andamanensis'') * ''Eulophia'' 'Memoria Alexis Pardo' ('' E. guineensis'' x '' E. andamanensis'') * ''Eulophia'' 'Michael Tibbs' ('' E. guineensis'' x '' E. speciosa'') * ''Eulophia'' 'Olive Delight' ('' E. cooperi'' x '' E. hereroensis'') * ''Eulophia'' × ''pholelana'' ('' E. ovalis'' x '' E. zeyheriana'') * ''Eulophia'' 'Shamara' ('' E. euglossa'' x '' E. guineensis'')

Intergeneric hybrids

As off 9 Sept 2021, the following intergeneric hybrids made with ''Eulophia'' as the seed/pod (capsule-bearing) parent have been registered with the Royal Horticultural Society: * ''Cymbidilophia'' 'Jumbo Kehong' ('' E. andamanensis'' x '' Cymbidiella pardalina'') * ''Euclades'' 'Indianopolis' ('' E. guineensis'' x '' Oeceoclades saundersiana'') * ''Eulobidium'' 'Rakthai' ('' E. andamanensis'' x ''

Cymbidium aloifolium ''Cymbidium aloifolium'', the aloe-leafed cymbidium, is a species 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. ...

'') * ''Eulomangis'' 'Jumbo Gram' ('' E. graminea'' x ''

Grammangis spectabilis ''Grammangis'' is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains only two known species, both endemic to Madagascar. *'' Grammangis ellisii'' (Lindl.) Rchb.f. *'' Grammangis spectabilis'' Bosser & Morat See also ...

'') * ''Eulomangis'' 'Jumbo Keith' ('' E. andamanensis'' x ''

'') * ''Eulomangis'' 'Jumbo Pete' ('' E. petersii'' x ''

Grammangis ellisii ''Grammangis ellisii'' is a species of flowering plants in the family Orchidaceae endemic to the eastern forests of Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, link ...

'') * ''Eulophyllum'' 'Jumbo Keith' ('' E. andamanensis'' x ''

Grammatophyllum measuresianum ''Grammatophyllum'', sometimes abbreviated in horticultural trade as Gram, is a genus of 13 currently known orchid species. The name is derived from the Greek words 'gramma' (a line or streak or mark) and 'phyllon' (leaf), referring to the parall ...

'') * ''Eulosellia'' 'Jumbo Nilotica' ('' E. graminea'' x ''

Ansellia africana ''Ansellia'' is considered a monotypic genus of orchid, with only one species, ''Ansellia africana'', commonly known as African ansellia or leopard orchid, however, it may in fact be a complex group of species which share common floral structure ...

'') * ''Eulosellia'' 'Jumbo Nilotica' ('' E. graminea'' x ''

'') * ''Graphophia'' 'SAJVOL Germinator' ('' E. petersii'' x ''

Graphorkis concolor ''Graphorkis'' is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains 4 known species, native to Africa and to Madagascar and other islands of the Indian Ocean. See also * List of Orchidaceae genera This is a list of g ...

'') A further three intergeneric hybrids have been registered with ''Eulophia'' as the pollen parent: * ''Euclades'' 'Saint Léger' ('' Oeceoclades cordylinophylla'' x '' E. guineensis'') * ''Eulophyllum'' 'Jumbo Amos' (''

Grammatophyllum scriptum ''Grammatophyllum scriptum'' is a species 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 ...

'' x '' E. andamanensis'') * ''Gramcymbiphia'' 'Jumbo Lovely' (''Grammatocymbidium'' 'Lovely Melody' x '' E. guineensis'')

Gallery

Image:Eulophia alta - fl 1.jpg, ''

Eulophia alta ''Eulophia alta'' is a species of orchid, known as the wild coco. It is widespread across tropical and subtropical parts of Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and the West Indies, as well as the southeastern United States (states of ...

'' Image:Eulophia alta - pl.jpg, ''

'' Image:Eulophia-guineensis.jpg, ''

Eulophia guineensis ''Eulophia guineensis'' is a species of orchid. It is the type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomicall ...

'' Image:Eulophia-guineensis1.jpg, ''

'' Image:Eulophia spectabilis 1.jpg, '' Eulophia nuda'' Image:Eulophia obtusa by Md Sharif Hossain Sourav.jpg, '' Eulophia obtusa''

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q281862 Eulophiinae genera