''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids,
is a
genus of
flowering plants from the orchid family,
Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tiny flowers. The
labellum is rigidly attached to the base of the
column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
. There are about fifty species native to areas from
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
and
Malesia to the Western
Pacific.
Description
Orchids in the genus ''Octarrhena'' are small
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 ...
,
lithophytic
Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic (or epipetric) or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks (and are als ...
or
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 thin roots and short stems with short, thick, fleshy leaves, their bases sheathing the stem. A large number of tiny, usually white, cream-coloured, yellowish or greenish flowers are arranged on a flowering stem arising from a leaf
axil
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...
. The
sepals and
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 are free from each other, the petals usually much smaller than the sepals. The labellum is small, unlobed, rigidly fixed to the column and lacks a spur.
Taxonomy and naming
The genus ''Octarrhena'' was first formally described in 1861 by
George Henry Kendrick Thwaites who published the description in ''Enumeratio plantarum Zeylaniae''.
The name ''Octarrhena'' is derived from the
Ancient Greek words ''okto'' meaning "eight"
and ''arrhen'' meaning "male" or "masculine",
referring the eight free
pollinia in the
anther
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...
.
Species list
The following is a list of species of ''Octarrhena'' recognised by the
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at January 2019:
* ''
Octarrhena amesiana''
Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena angraecoides''
(Schltr.) Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena angustifolia''
(Schltr.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena angustissima''
(Schltr.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena aporoides
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tiny f ...
''
(Schltr.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena aristata''
P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena bilabrata''
(P.Royen) W.Kittr.
* ''
Octarrhena brassii''
(L.O.Williams) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena calceiformis''
(J.J.Sm.) P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena celebica
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena cladophylax
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
(Rchb.f.) P.F.Hunt
* ''
Octarrhena cordata''
P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena cucullifera
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena cupulilabra''
P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena cylindrica
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tiny f ...
''
J.J.Sm
* ''
Octarrhena cymbiformis
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tiny f ...
''
J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena elmeri''
(Ames) Ames
* ''
Octarrhena ensifolia''
(Ames) Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena exigua
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena falcifolia''
(Schltr.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena filiformis''
(L.O.Williams) P.Royen
** ''Octarrhena filiformis'' var. ''brachyphylla''
(L.O.Williams) P.Royen
** ''Octarrhena filiformis'' var. ''filiformis''
** ''Octarrhena filiformis'' var. ''glabra''
P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena firmula''
Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena gemmifera''
Ames
* ''
Octarrhena gibbosa''
J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena goliathensis
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena gracilis''
(L.O.Williams) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena hastipetala''
J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena latipetala''
(J.J.Sm.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena lorentzii''
J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena macgregorii
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
(Schltr.) Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena mendumiana''
Schuit. & de Vogel
* ''
Octarrhena miniata''
(Schltr.) Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena minuscula''
Aver. & Duy
* ''
Octarrhena oberonioides''
(Schltr.) Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena obovata
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
(J.J.Sm.) P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena parvula''
Thwaites
* ''
Octarrhena platyrachis''
P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena podochiloides''
(Schltr.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena purpureiocellata''
P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena pusilla''
(F.M.Bailey) Dockrill
* ''
Octarrhena reflexa
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
(J.J.Sm.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena saccolabioides''
(Schltr.) Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena salmonea''
P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena spathulata''
(Schltr.) Schuit.
* ''
Octarrhena tenuis''
(J.J.Sm.) J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena torricellensis''
Schltr..
* ''
Octarrhena trigona''
(J.J.Sm.) P.Royen
* ''
Octarrhena umbellulata''
Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena uniflora''
Schuit. & de Vogel
* ''
Octarrhena vanvuurenii''
J.J.Sm.
* ''
Octarrhena vitellina
''Octarrhena'', commonly known as grub orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are small, orchids with short stems, thin roots, short, thick, fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks and tin ...
''
(Ridl.) Schltr.
* ''
Octarrhena wariana''
Schltr.
Distribution
Orchids in the genus ''Octarrhena'' are found in Sri Lanka,
Vietnam,
Borneo,
Java,
Peninsular Malaysia, the
Philippines,
Sulawesi
Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
,
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
, the
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago (, ) is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. Its area is about 50,000 square km.
History
The first inhabitants o ...
,
New Guinea, the
Solomon Islands,
Queensland (Australia)
)
, 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
, establishe ...
,
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
,
New Caledonia
)
, anthem = ""
, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Caledonia
, map_caption = Location of New Caledonia
, mapsize = 290px
, subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
,
Vanuatu and the
Caroline Islands.
References
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1303490
Podochileae genera