Eulophia alta (L.) Fawc. & Rendle

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 5 - 1550 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Guayana y Serranía de La Macarena, Orinoquia, Pacífico.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

Preocupación Menor

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit

Terrestrial herb 1–2 m tall.

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Perennating organ a fleshy, subterranean rhizome c. 1 cm in diameter; roots 1.5 mm in diameter, white.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 4, up to 120 × 5–10 cm, erect, lanceolate, acuminate, plicate, with a long petiole.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence densely many-flowered; scape with 3 sheaths.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary

Pedicel and ovary 18–20 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts 10–30 mm long, reflexed, linear, aristate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers not opening widely; sepals greenish-yellow, petals and lip reddish-brown or red-purple, occasionally white with a purple disk on the lip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Dorsal sepal 18–20 × 4–5 mm, oblong-lanceolate, subacute; lateral sepals slightly longer and wider.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 15–19 × 3–5 mm, oblong-ligulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum

Lip 14–19 × 8–12 mm, with a saccate base, 3-lobed in the apical half; side lobes rounded, mid-lobe 5–6 × 8 mm, the edges undulate. Lip with a callus of 2 flap-like ridges in the middle, and with papillae on the 5 central veins of the mid-lobe.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column

Column 7–10 mm long; foot 4 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 3 cm long, pendent.

Habitat

Terrestrial in papyrus and other swamps and in wet grassland; 1150–1300 m.

General Description

A large terrestrial herb 1–2 m. tall with white roots 1.5 mm. diameter. Perennating organ a fleshy elongate subterranean rhizome ± 1 cm. diameter. Leaves 4, plicate, erect, lanceolate, acuminate, up to 120 cm. long, 5–7.5 cm. wide, long-petiolate, sheathing at base. Inflorescence densely many-flowered; peduncle 8–10 mm. diameter, green, bearing 3 sheaths along length; rhachis 16–35 cm. long; bracts reflexed, linear-aristate, acuminate, 10–30(–80) mm. long. Flower not opening widely; sepals olive-green or green; lip and petals red-purple (albino variants are rare); pedicel and ovary 15–23 mm. long. Dorsal sepal oblong-lanceolate, subacute, 18–20 mm. long, 4–5 mm. wide; lateral sepals oblong or ligulate, subacute to acute, 18–22 mm. long, 4–6.5 mm. wide. Petals oblong-ligulate, acute to obtuse, 15–19 mm. long, 3–5 mm. wide. Lip 3-lobed in apical half, saccate at base, 14–19 mm. long, 8–12 mm. wide; side lobes rounded; mid-lobe semicircular, 5–6 mm. long, 8 mm. wide, with an undulate margin; callus of 2 obliquely subquadrate flap-like ridges in middle of lip and with papillae on the central 5 viens of the mid-lobe. Column 7–10 mm. long; foot 4 mm. long. Fruit pendent, 30 mm. long.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean, Guiana Shield, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 5–1550 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Boyacá, Caquetá, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Meta, Valle del Cauca, Vaupés.

Habit

Herb.

Conservation

National Red List of Colombia (2021): LC.

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968

Morphology Leaves

Leaves lanceolate, up to 4 ft. long and 4 in. broad

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Scape

Scape up to 4 ft. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers numerous, green and purple.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

cebolleta de palo

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident