''Zygopetalum'' (abbreviated ''Z.''Alphabetical List of Standard Abbreviations for Natural and Hybrid Generic Names, RHS, 2007. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/plant-registration-forms/orchid-name-abbreviations-list.pdf) 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 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 ...

) (subfamily Epidendroideae, tribe

Cymbidieae The Cymbidieae is a tribe of plants within the family Orchidaceae. See also * Taxonomy of the Orchidaceae The taxonomy of the Orchidaceae (orchid family) has evolved slowly during the last 250 years, starting with Carl Linnaeus who in 1753 reco ...

, subtribe

Zygopetalinae Zygopetalinae is an orchid subtribe in the tribe Cymbidieae with 418 species. Description Orchids in Zygopetalinae are mostly epiphytic but can be terrestrial, with pseudobulbs of one or several internodes or slender stems. All genera but one ar ...

), consisting of fourteen currently recognized species.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref>Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.C. & Rasmussen, F.N. (2009). Epidendroideae (Part two). Genera Orchidacearum 5: 1-585. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

Name

This orchid's generic name, derived from the Greek word '' zugón'', means "yoke". It refers to the yoke-like growth at the base of the lip. The genus name has ''Z.'' as a unique abbreviation among orchid genera.

Distribution

They occur in humid forests at low- to mid-elevation regions of South America, with most species in Brazil.

Description

Most species are

epiphyte 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 ...

s, but some are terrestrials with glossy, strap-like, plicate

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 ...

, which are apical, oblong or elliptic-lanceolate, acute or acuminate. These orchids have a robust growth form. Their ovoid-conical pseudobulbs are deciduous. They produce an erect, 60-centimeter-long, few-flowered to several-flowered, racemose

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 ...

that grows laterally and is longer than the leaves. Their prominent

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

s equal the length of the

ovary The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. ...

. They are known for their fragrant, waxy, and long-lived

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 multiple blooms in shades of green, purple, burgundy, and raspberry with several patterns.

Cultivation

They are known for their ease of culture and are much in demand as excellent cut flowers.

Species

Species accepted as of June 2014:

References

External links

* *
Orchidroots.org
Zygopetalum Species {{Taxonbar, from=Q133749 Zygopetalinae genera Epiphytic orchids