Brassia

R. Brown

in W. Aiton and W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew. 5: 215. 1813.

Common names: Spider orchid
Etymology: for William Brass, an eighteenth-century British botanical illustrator and collector
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 645. Mentioned on page 496.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA26 Plate 108.jpegBrassia caudata
Ionopsis utricularioides
Macradenia lutescens
Oncidium ensatum
Trichocentrum undulatum
Tolumnia bahamensis
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi

Herbs, epiphytic, ± cespitose. Stems either reduced and covered with sheathing bracts or elongate with prominent, single-noded pseudobulb. Leaves 1 (–2) per sympodium, from apex of pseudobulb, often with 1–3 short foliaceous bracts subtending single-noded pseudobulb; blade conduplicate, oblong-lanceolate, dorsiventrally flattened, margins entire. Inflorescences lateral, racemes; bracts narrowly triangular. Flowers: sepals and petals distinct and free, long, attenuate-caudate; lip unlobed; callus prominent, 2-lamellate; column without appendages, footless; stigmatic cavity ± round; rostellum not prominent. Fruits capsules.

Distribution

Subtropics and tropics, Western Hemisphere

Discussion

Species 35 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

... more about "Brassia"
self-pollination +
Mark W. Chase +
R. Brown +
indehiscent +
not +  and articulate +
conduplicate +  and plicate +
flattened +  and oblong-lanceolate +
triangular +
2-lamellate +
Spider orchid +
Subtropics and tropics +  and Western Hemisphere +
for William Brass, an eighteenth-century British botanical illustrator and collector +
3-merous +, sessile +  and pedicellate +
not +  and resupinate +
petiolate +, sessile +  and simple +
duplicate +, convolute +, whorled +, opposite +, distichous +  and alternate +
cauline +  and basal +
reduced +
unlobed +
larger +
differing in form and color +
1-many-flowered +  and cymose +
pendent +  and erect +
free +  and distinct +
attenuate-caudate +
in W. Aiton and W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew. +
aerial +  and subterranean +
not prominent +
minute +
free +  and distinct +
attenuate-caudate +
foliaceous +
not +  and alike +
branched +, or +  and simple +
pendent +  and erect +
proliferous +
elongate +
reduced +
concave +  and convex +
Brassia +
Orchidaceae (tribe Maxillarieae) subtribe Oncidiinae +
annual +  and perennial +
herb +  and cespitose +
saprophytic +, photosynthetic +  and mycotrophic +