Psychilis

• Authority

  Ackerman, James D. 1995. An orchid flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 73: 1-203.

• Family

  Orchidaceae

• Scientific Name

  Psychilis

• Description

  
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  Genus Description - Plants sympodial, caespitose epiphytes or lithophytes. Roots velamentous. Stems erect or ascending, pseudobulbous, composed 3-5 subequal internodes, cylindrical, fusiform or pyriform from a short, stout rhizome. Leaves articulate, conduplicate, coriaceous to rigid, margin entire, crenate to erose-denticulate. Inflorescences terminal, erect, peduncles long, slender, enclosed by scarious imbricating sheaths, terminated by one or more short, compact racemes produced 1 or 2 each year for up to 4 years. Flowers clustered, produced in succession, several at a time in pulses, resupinate. Pedicellate ovary slender. Sepals and petals free, spreading or reflexed. Labellum clawed, basally adnate to column, trilobed, lateral lobes basally adnate to column, middle lobe variously callose, basal disc with a canaliculate callus. Column cylindrical; stigmas confluent, entire, rostellum transverse; anther terminal, operculate, incumbent, 2-celled; pollinia 4, equal, laterally compressed, hard, waxy, connected by caudicles. Fruit an ovoid to ellipsoidal capsule.

• Discussion

  Psychilis Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 4: 40. 1836 [1838]. Type species. Psychilis bifida (Aublet) Sauleda based on Epidendrum bifidum Aublet of Hispaniola. A Caribbean genus of about 15 species. The generic name is derived from the Greek words psyche (butterfly) and cheilos (lip) and refers to the large, colorful, lateral lobes of the lip. After more careful scrutiny of generic concepts in the Encyclia alliance, particularly in the Caribbean, this genus may not stand. Without further information, however, I regard it unwise to make new combinations for the five recently described taxa in Psychilis (Sauleda, 1988). Special Literature. Withner, 1967; Sauleda, 1988; Ackerman, 1989.