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
orchids
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 ...
native to
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
,
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
and
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families /ref> The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing
epiphytically
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 ...
, in wet forests from
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr. Francisco Sobral, a Spanish
botanist
Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...
. The genus is abbreviated Sob in trade journals.
Their reed-like stems range in height from about 1 ft (33 cm) (such as in ''Sobralia galeottiana'') to 44 ft. (13.4 m) (in ''Sobralia altissima''). They have typically heavily veined, bilobed, plicate, apical
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 ...
all along the stem. The
inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
s on the apex of the stem carry one or two successive ephemeral
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 large
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 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. The short duration of the flower is caused by a self-digesting
enzyme
Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...
. The
lip
The lips are the visible body part at the mouth of many animals, including humans. Lips are soft, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake and in the articulation of sound and speech. Human lips are a tactile sensory organ, and can be ...
is entire or lobed and clasps 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. ...
at its base. This columns carries eight soft
pollinia A pollinium (plural pollinia) is a coherent mass of pollen grains in a plant that are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in plants such as orchids and many species of mil ...
. These flowers range in color from pure white to yellow, green, pink, purple, red, brown, and even a blue violet.
Taxonomy
The following species are recognized:
* ''
Sobralia aerata
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' (C.K.Allen & L.O.Williams) Garay
* ''
Sobralia allenii
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' L.O.Williams
* ''
Sobralia altissima
''Sobralia altissima'' (Common name ''Inquil'') is a species of orchid endemic to Huancavelica Department, Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol ...
'' D.E.Benn. & Christenson
* ''
Sobralia amabilis
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' (Rchb.f.) L.O.Williams
* ''
Sobralia anceps
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for D ...
'' Schltr.
* ''
Sobralia andreae
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' Dressler
* ''
Sobralia antioquiensis
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' Schltr.
* ''
Sobralia aspera
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' Dressler & Pupulin
* ''
Sobralia atropubescens
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
'' Ames & C.Schweinf.
* ''
Sobralia augusta
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr. ...
Sobralia blancoi
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south an ...
Sobralia buchtienii
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
Sobralia caloglossa
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia cardosoi
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia chrysostoma
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
'' Dressler
* ''
Sobralia ciliata
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia ecuadorana
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr. ...
Sobralia fimbriata
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr. ...
Sobralia galeottiana
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr. ...
Sobralia herzogii
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia hirtzii
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia infundibuligera
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia macrantha
''Sobralia macrantha'', commonly known as the large-flowered sobralia, is a species of orchid found from north-central and southern Mexico to Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. I ...
Sobralia mariannae
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia powellii
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
'' Schltr.
* ''
Sobralia pulcherrima
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia recta
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia rigidissima
''Sobralia'' is a genus of Orchidaceae, orchids native to Mexico, Central America, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing Epiphyte, epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8, ...
Sobralia rosea
''Sobralia rosea'', is a species of Orchidaceae, orchid native to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.Schweinfurth, C., "Orchidaceae, Orchids of Peru", ''Fieldiana, Botany'' 30(1): 74-75
References
Sobralia, rosea
Flora of Peru
{{Epidendroide ...
Sobralia setigera
''Sobralia setigera'', is a species of Orchidaceae, orchid native to Peru,Schweinfurth, C., "Orchidaceae, Orchids of Peru", ''Fieldiana, Botany'' 30(1): 76 with snow-white flowers that are about long.
References
Sobralia, setigera
Flo ...
'' Poepp. & Endl.
* ''
Sobralia sobralioides
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
Sobralia uribei
''Sobralia'' is a genus of orchids native to Mexico, Central and South America. The plants are more commonly terrestrial, but are also found growing epiphytically, in wet forests from sea level to about 8,800 ft. The genus was named for Dr ...
Sobralia macrantha
''Sobralia macrantha'', commonly known as the large-flowered sobralia, is a species of orchid found from north-central and southern Mexico to Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. I ...