Orchidaceae
Lophiaris
Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Genus Parent: Orchidaceae Status: Invalid Reason: unverified
Morphological Description
Diagnosis: ##
Vegetative Morphology
Habit: Caespitose epiphytes, lithophytes, or terrestrials with stout rhizomes. Pseudobulbs present or reduced to short disks.
Leaves: Leaves one, elliptic, very leathery, sometimes spotted or suffused with reddish purple.
Reproductive Morphology
Inflorescence: Inflorescences pedunculate racemes or more commonly panicles, the floral bracts minute.
Flowers: Flowers small to large and showy. Sepals and petals usually free and subsimilar. Lip three-lobed, often violin-shaped, the callus very fleshy. Column erect, winged; pollinia 2, cleft, on a common stipe and viscidium.
Other
Notes: Species of Lophiaris were previously included in a broadly defined Oncidium as the “Mule Ear” species on the basis of their leathery elliptic leaves. In high contrast, some molecular systematists include Lophiaris in a very broadly defined Trichocentrum.