''Grammatophyllum'', sometimes abbreviated in horticultural trade as Gram, 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 13 currently known

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 ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

. The name is derived from the Greek words 'gramma' (a line or streak or mark) and 'phyllon' (leaf), referring to the parallel leaf veins or the markings of the perianth.A Manual or Orchidaceous Plants Cultivated under Glass, Part IX This

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 ...

genus occurs in dense

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

from Indo-China, to

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, 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 ...

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

, and the Southwest Pacific islands.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> The species produce several

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

s, arising from the base of the

pseudobulb The pseudobulb is a storage organ found in many epiphytic and terrestrial sympodial orchids. It is derived from a thickening of the part of a stem between leaf nodes and may be composed of just one internode or several, termed heteroblastic and ...

, with many yellow-green to olive-green, waxy

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s with dark purplish-red marks. The pseudobulbs are enveloped by sheaths. These are medium-sized to very large orchids, including the giant orchid (''

Grammatophyllum speciosum ''Grammatophyllum speciosum'', also called giant orchid, tiger orchid, sugar cane orchid or queen of the orchids, is a species of orchid native to Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi) and Malaysia. It has ...

''), believed to be the largest orchid species in existence. Its

s can grow to a length of 2.5 m. Plants can develop into gigantic clusters weighing from several hundred kilograms to one ton. The

root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...

s form spectacular bundles. The more modest bell orchid (''Grammatophyllum scriptum'') is another well-known species, with pseudobulbs of 20 cm, from which originate 3 to 4 stout

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

with a length of 1 m. ''

Grammatophyllum multiflorum ''Grammatophyllum multiflorum'' or the multiflowered grammatophyllum, is a species of orchid endemic to the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipina ...

'' is one of the longest-blooming orchids in existence: it can be in bloom for nine months. See also '' Dendrobium cuthbertsonii'', whose flowers have been reported to last up to ten months each. ''Grammatophyllum'' 'Tiger's paw' is a hybrid from ''G. elegans'' and ''G. fenzlianum''.

Species

# '' Grammatophyllum elegans'' (Fiji and Philippines). # '' Grammatophyllum kinabaluense'' (Sabah). # '' Grammatophyllum martae'' (Philippines ) # '' Grammatophyllum measuresianum'' (Philippines, Borneo) # ''

'' (Philippines) # '' Grammatophyllum pantherinum'' (Borneo, Maluku, Philippines, New Guinea, Solomons, Bismarcks) # ''

Grammatophyllum ravanii ''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 ...

'' (Philippines) # '' Grammatophyllum rumphianum'' (Borneo, Maluku). # '' Grammatophyllum schmidtianum'' (Marianas). # ''

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 ...

'' : Bell orchid (Malaysia to SW. Pacific). # ''

'' : Giant orchid, tiger orchid, Queen of Orchids (Indo-China to Solomon Is.) - type species # ''

Grammatophyllum stapeliiflorum ''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 ...

'' (Malaysia, Philippines to New Guinea). # ''

Grammatophyllum wallisii ''Grammatophyllum wallisii'' (Wallis's grammatophyllum) is a member of the family Orchidaceae endemic to the Philippines. The name honors Gustav Wallis Gustav Wallis (1 May 1830 – 20 June 1878) was a German plant collector who introduced over ...

'' (Philippines )

References

External links

Photos of ''Grammatophyllum stapeliaeflorum''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2372901 Cymbidieae genera