Epipactis

Zinn

Cat. Pl. Hort. Gott., 85. 1757.

Etymology: Ancient Greek name used by Theophrastus for plant used to curdle milk
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 584. Mentioned on page 496.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA26 Plate 096.jpegHabenaria repens
Cephalanthera austiniae
Epipactis helleborine
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi

Herbs perennial, terrestrial, glabrous or puberulent to glabrate. Roots from short rhizome, fibrous. Stems leafy. Leaves several, alternate, sheathing, plicate, grading into floral bracts. Inflorescences terminal racemes; floral bracts leaflike, often exceeding flowers. Flowers few-to-many, resupinate, pedicellate; perianth free, spreading or loosely connivent, subequal; sepals ovate to ovatelanceolate, concave; petals often shorter than sepals; lip sessile at base of column, fleshy, divided into 2 parts by central constriction, proximal part (hypochile) deeply concave to saccate, distal part (epichile) triangular to oblanceolate, with pair of calli near base; column curved over lip, broadened distally, short; anther terminal, sessile; pollinia 4, mealy. Fruits capsules, pendent to spreading, obovoid to ellipsoid.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, Eurasia, North Africa

Discussion

Species ca. 25 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Lip 3-lobed, distal part linear-oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate-oblanceolate; lateral sepals 16–24 mm. Epipactis gigantea
1 Lip not 3-lobed, distal part triangular-ovate to broadly triangular; lateral sepals 6–13 mm. > 2
2 Lip 9–12 mm, distal part triangular-ovate, calli at base not rugose; ovary glabrous; flowers green to pink to purple to yellowish. Epipactis helleborine
2 Lip 5.5–6.5 mm, distal part broadly triangular, calli at base rugose; ovary tomentose; flowers dark wine to cranberry red. Epipactis atrorubens
... more about "Epipactis"
self-pollination +
Paul Martin Brown +  and George W. Argus +
indehiscent +
not +  and articulate +
conduplicate +  and plicate +
flattened +, triangular +  and cylindric +
broadened +
triangular +  and oblanceolate +
North America +, Mexico +, Eurasia +  and North Africa +
Ancient Greek name used by Theophrastus for plant used to curdle milk +
pendent +  and spreading +
obovoid;ellipsoid +
lateral +  and terminal +
petiolate +, sessile +  and simple +
cauline +  and basal +
reduced +
divided +
larger +
differing in form and color +
1-many-flowered +  and cymose +
pendent +  and erect +
deeply concave +  and saccate +
Cat. Pl. Hort. Gott., +
aerial +  and subterranean +
minute +
free +, distinct +, adnate +  and connate +
concave +, ovate +  and ovatelanceolate +
foliaceous +
not +  and alike +
pendent +  and erect +
proliferous +
thickened +  and stout +
concave +  and convex +
Epipactis +
Orchidaceae (tribe Neottieae) subtribe Limodorinae +
aquatic +, lithophytic +, terrestrial +  and epiphytic +
saprophytic +, photosynthetic +  and mycotrophic +
puberulent +  and glabrate +