Orchidaceae
Cochleanthes
Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Genus Parent: Orchidaceae Status: Valid
Morphological Description
Diagnosis: Distinguished by clusters of leafy fan-shaped growths without pseudobulbs and pendent inflorescences. The plants are similar to those of Chaubardia but that genus has erect inflorescences. The only other species in the flora with a similar large white lip striped with purple is Zygosepalum labiosum, but that species has obvious pseudobulbs on a trailing rhizome and a conspicuous elongate rostellum.
Vegetative Morphology
Habit: Epiphytes producing clustered, fan-shaped growth. Roots white, prominent. Pseudobulbs absent.
Leaves: Leaves distichous, lanceolate, contracted below into conduplicate petioles.
Reproductive Morphology
Inflorescence: Inflorescences axillary, slender, scapose, arching-pendent solitary flowers.
Flowers: Flowers showy, usually fragrant, often nodding. Sepals subequal, free, spreading, membranous, the lateral sepals frequently swept backwards as a false nectary. Petals free, spreading, often subparallel to the column forming a tube with the lip. Lip unlobed or obscurely three-lobed, concave to tubular, clawed, articulated with a short column foot, with a fleshy transverse basal callus. Column fleshy, broadly club-shaped; pollinia 4, in two unequal pairs, waxy.