By Nina
Rach
In the
Foreword to Orchidiana Philippiniana, Dr. Helen Valmayor writes
“Philippine orchids continue to fascinate orchid growers because of their sheer
variety and number. ... There are a fair number of terrestrial orchids, such as
Calanthe, Habernaria, Eulophia, Malaxis, Phaius, Zeuxine and Ludisia.
Some have very attractive flowers like the Calanthe, Phaius and Spathoglottis.
Others belong to the so-called “Jewel Orchids,” which are cultivated for their
attractive foliage, like Zeuxine, Ludisia, and Anoectochilus.”
Some
Terrestrial Genera in the Philippines:
Acanthephippium Blume (1837)
Named from the Greek akantha (thorn) and ephippion
(saddle). The genus is easily recognized by the large, urn-shaped flowers. 15
species overall, one in the Philippines: A. mantinianum (L.) Linden
& Cogn., which grows as a large plant with erect stems and thin, broad
leaves. Flowers are large (4cm) and fleshy, yellow with red.
Anoectochilus Blume (1825)
Derived from the Greek words anoectos (open) and
cheilos (lip). 25 species overall; according to Ames (1915), one of
these “jewel orchids” is found in the Philippines. Allied to Eucosia,
Goodyera and Macodes, and grows in deep shade in leaf litter The
plants have dark green leaves with red veins, red underside, and white flowers;
column has two wings.
Aphyllorchis Blume (1825)
From the Greek a (without), phyllon
(leaf), and orchis (testicle) referring to the leafless state of these
orchids. 20 species overall, three in the Philippines (all leafless saprophytes
with thick fleshy roots and open, starry flowers):
A. halconensis Ames grows to 115cm tall on Mt. Halcon, with
bluish-purple and white flowers; A. montana Rchb.f. grows to 40cm
tall in dry, pine forest ridges, with yellow and brown flowers; A.
pallida Bl. grows to 30cm tall in humid forests, flowers grey
& purple.
Apostasia Blume (1825)
From the Greek word apostasia
(separation, divorce). Six species overall; according to Comber (1990) one
grows in the Philippines: Apostasia wallichi R. Br. Ex Wall. Is
an evergreen terrestrial grows in moist soils in shady ridge forests and has
slender branched stems to 30cm and yellowish flowers about 1cm across.
Appendicula Blume (1825)
Genus name derived from the Latin word
appendicula (little appendix), describing the appendiculate calluses of
the lip. 110 species divided into five sections; 23 species known in the
Philippines; mostly epiphytic, with the following exceptions: Appendicula
anceps Bl. is a 15-cm tall terrestrial with terminal inflorescenses of
tiny, yellowish-green flowers. Appendicula
micrantha Lindl. grows near streams, both epiphytically and
terrestrially to 50 cm, and bears tiny, white and purple flowers clustered at
the base of the leaves, close to the stem.
Arachnis Blume (1825)
Named from the
Greek word arachne (spider). 17 species; two in the Philippines; Arachnis
longicaulis (Schltr.) L.O. Wms. is an endemic terrestrial species with
fragrant yellow flowers, mottled with brown. A variety collected in Quezon, f.
flavescens Valmayor & Tiu, is closer to pure yellow. Flowers
appear singly, on short stems opposite the leaves.
Bromheadia Lindley (1841)
Named for Sir Edward French
Bromhead. 11 species; two in the
Philippines, one is terrestrial: Bromheadia finlaysoniana
(Lindl.)
Rchb.f. Grows to
1m, occasionally 2m, bearing erect inflorescenses with one or two starry, white
to cream-colored flowers open at a time; lip yellow with purple spots.
Calanthe
R. Brown (1821)
The genus name
derives from the Greek calos (beautiful) and anthos (a flower).
150 species found over a wide range, with 14 found in the Philippines (9
endemic*); 12 of these are terrestrial, with large pleated leaves and fleshy,
corm-like pseudobulbs:
Calanthe angustifolia (Bl.) Lindl. conspicua Lindl.*
davaensis Ames* elmeri Ames*
halconensis Ames* lacerata
Ames*
maquilingensis Ames* mcgregorii Ames*
mindorensis Ames* pulchra (Bl.)
Lindl.
triplicata (Willem.) Ames vestita
Lindl.
Cephalantheropsis Guillaumin (1960)
Two species in
the Philippines: Ceph. Gracilis (Lindl.) S.Y. Yu, which grows to
60cm tall with long, axillary inflorescenses; and Ceph. Halconensis (Ames)
Liu & Siu, growing to 10 cm tall with slender pseudobulbs and white
flowers.
Cheirostylis Blume (1825)
From the Greek
cheir (hand) and stylis (style), named presumably for the flowers
resemblance to a hand. Allied to Zeuxine; about 20 species overall, with two in
the Philippines: Cheir. chinensis Rolfe, a succulent terrestrial
6-12 cm high bearing white flowers with two green blotches in the throat; and Cheir.
octodactyla Ames, short and stout, 4-8cm high with white, 1cm flowers.
Grows in mossy thickets and not recommended for cultivation.
Coelogyne Lindley (1825)
Name derived
from the Greek koilos (hollow) and gyne (female). About 150
species, mostly epiphytic, but some are lithophytic and others “grow as
terrestrials in grassy meadows or rocky places”. Very hardy and capable of
withstanding droughts.
Corybas Salisbury (1803)
This
genus earned the common name 'Helmet Orchids' because of the shape of the
flowers. The plants have a solitary, heart-shaped leaf and a single flower
arises from the base. Two of these very small terrestrial species grow in the
Philippines: Corybas laceratus L.O. Wms, and Corybas
merrillii Ames.
Corymborkis Thouars (1855)
Named
from the Greek corymbos (clustered) and orchis (testicle). These tall, evergreen, terrestrials resemble
grass or ginger. About 18 species
overall, but a single representative in the Philippines: Corymborkis
veratrifolia (Reinw.) Bl., which has a spicy fragrance and is also
found in North Queensland and New Guinea.
Cryptostylis R. Brown (1810)
From
the Greek cryptos (hidden) and stylos (style), referring to the
short column which is encased by the base of the lip. Evergreen terrestrials with erect leathery leaves and fleshy
roots. About twenty species overall,
and two of these in the Philippines: Cryptostylis arachnites (Bl.)
Hassk. (= C. fulva Schlechter = C. papuana Schlechter) and Cryptostylis
taiwaniana Masam.
Cymbidium Swartz (1799)
Named
from the Greek kymbes (boat-shaped), describing the shape of the
lip. Usually epiphytic, but also found
growing as terrestrials. Eight species
in the Philippines, plus two varieties:
Cym. aliciae Quis. Cym. atropurpureum (Lindl.)
Rolfe
Cym. chloranthum Lindl. Cym.
dayanum Rchb.f.
Cym. dayanum var. austro-japonicum Tuyama
Cym. ensifolium var. misericors (Hay) T.P.
Lin
Cym. finlaysonianum Lindl Cym. finlaysonianum var. album
Hort.
Cym. gonzalesii Quis. Cym. pubescens Lindl.
Cystopus Blume (1858)
Cystorchis Blume
Name taken
from the Greek kystis (bladder) and orchis (testicle). One of the “Jewel orchids.”
Dendrochilum Blume (1825)
The
genus is named from the Greek words dendron (tree) and cheilos (lip).
There are about 150 species, which grow epiphytically and lithophytically. __ species in the Philippines, including:
Didymoplexis Griffith (1844)
Named
from the Greek words didymos (twin) and plexis (plaiting),
referring to the joining of the basal half of the sepals and petals. All ten of the species in this genus are
saprophytes which grow in leaf litter, and therefore not recommended for
cultivation. Two species in the Philippines: D. pallens and D.
philippinensis Ames.
Dilochia Lindley (1830)
This
genus is named from the Greek di (double) and lochos (rank),
referring to the distichous bracts.
There are about six species, all terrestrial, similar to Arundina. One representative in the Philippines: Dilochia
elmeri Ames.
Dipodium R. Brown (1810)
Named
from the Greek dis (two) and podion (small foot), referring to the
stalked pollinia. Terrestrials and
saprophytes. About 20 species, but only
one in the Philippines: Dipodium paludosum (Griff.) Rchb.f.
Disperis Swartz (1800)
Named
from the Greek dis (two, twice) and pera (sac), referring to the
pouches formed by the lateral sepals.
Total of 75 species with complex flowers, all but four are African, and
one of those four is found in the Philippines: Disperis philippinensis
Schltr.
Epiblastus Schlecter (1905)
From
the Greek epiblastos (sprouting on or again), referring to the growth
habit. About 15 species, of which one
grows in the Philippines: Epiblastus merrillii L.O. Wms.
Epipogium Gmelin & Borkhausen (1792)
Name
taken from the Greek epi (upon) and pogon (beard), for the
bearded appearance of the lip. Leafless
saprophytes. Three species, one of which grows in the Philippines: Epipogium
roseum (D.Don) Lindl.
Erythrodes Blume (1825)
The
genus name comes from the Greek erythros (red), for some unknown reason.
About a hundred species overall, four of which grow in the Philippines: E.
boettcheri Ames; E. vrydagzynoides Ames; E. weberi Ames; E.
wenzelii Ames.
Eulophia R. Brown ex Lindley (1823)
Name
derived from the Greek words eu (well, true) and lophos (plume),
referring to the ridges of the callus or crest on the lip. About 200
terrestrial species, with ten in the Philippines:
Eulophia andamanensis Rchb.f. E. dentate
Ames
Eulophia gramineae Naves E.
macrostachya Lindl.
Eulophia merrillii Ames E. pulchra (Thouars) Lindl.
Eulophia squalida Lindl. E. stricta (Presl) Ames
Eulophia vanovrerberghii Ames E. zollingeri (Rchb.f.) J.J.
Smith
Galeola J. Loureiro (1790)
Name
derived from the Latin galea (helmet), referring to the shape of the
lip. These nearly leafless saprophytic
orchids grow on rotting wood, require a symbiotic fungus, and are related to Vanilla,
growing 15 meters or more up trees.
Four Philippine representatives of the 25 total species: Galeola
altissima (Bl.) Rchb.f.; G. kuhlii Rchb.f.; G. nudiflora
Lour.; G. philippinensis Ames.
Gastrodia R. Brown (1810)
Named
from the Greek gastrodes (pot-bellied), referring to the flowers.
Saprophytic and deciduous (how would you tell?). There are about 30 in the
genus, and a sole representative in the Philippines: Gastrodia javanica
(Bl.) Lindl.
Geodorum G. Jackson (1810)
Name
taken from the Greek geo (earth) and doron (gift). Ten deciduous terrestrials with plicate
leaves and nodding inflorescenses of clustered flowers that do not open widely.
Grows in warm conditions, 0-100m. One species in the Philippines: Geodorum
densiflorum (Lam.) Schltr.
Goodyera R. Brown (1813)
Named
for John Goodyer (1592-1664), an English plant collector and botanist.
About 165 species, nine in the
Philippines:
Goodyera clausa Schltr. G. elmeri
(Ames) Ames
Goodyera fumata Thw. G. grandis
(Bl.) Bl.
Goodyera luzonensis Ames G. philippinensis (Ames) Schltr.
Goodyera procera (Ker.-Gawl.) Hook.
Goodyera ramosii Ames G. viridiflora
Bl.
Habenaria Willdenow (1805)
From
the Greek habena (straps, reins) for the long, slender lateral lobes of
the lip. A large genus with 600-700 species; about 24 in the Philippines.
References:
Jim Comber
(1990). Orchids of Java.
Eduardo
Quisumbing (1951). “Coelogyne of the Philippines,” in: Phil. Orchid Rev.
4(2):8-14.
Helen L.
Valmayor (1984) Orchidiana
Philippiniana. Manila: Eugenio
Lopez Foundation, two volumes in slipcases.