Orchidaceae

Brassavola R.Br.

First published in W.T.Aiton, Hortus Kew. 5: 216 (1813), nom. cons.
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Mexico to Tropical America.

Descriptions

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Epiphytes or lithophytes with short, stout rhizomes and slender to pseudobulbous stems
Morphology Leaves
Leaves mostly solitary, articulate, fleshy, coriaceous, conduplicate, subterete to flattened. Inflorescences terminal, pedunculate, racemose, 1–several-flowered
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers large, white and/or green, showy, resupinate with a strong nocturnal fragrance; sepals and petals subsimilar, spreading, linear to narrowly lanceolate; lip clawed, tubular around column, apically spreading
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column erect, short, winged. Anther terminal, operculate, pollinia 8 or 12 in unequal groups of 4, hard, waxy
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigma entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsules pedicellate and long-beaked.
Distribution
A neotropical genus of about 15 species.
[Cayman]

Common Names

English
Ladies of the Night

Sources

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0