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Family: Orchidaceae
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Epiphyte; pseudobulbs subcylindrical, strongly ridged and tapering to apex, 6.5-15 cm long, 2-leaved at apex. Leaves lanceolate, 30-60 cm long, 4-10 cm wide, plicate, strongly veined. Racemes 30-60 cm long, pendent from base of pseudobulbs; flowers 2-4, ca 10 cm diam, showy, of variable color and complex shape; sepals and petals membranaceous, usually similarly colored, clear yellow to pale brown with a few purplish spots or pale purple or reddish-brown; lip very fleshy, complexly 4-parted, waxy, yellow, forming a cup containing a clear liquid produced by glands at the base of the lip. Fruits not seen. Apparently rare; reported by R. Dressler (pers. comm.) for the island, but no specimens have been collected. According to Allen (1949) the plants are usually found high in trees but often also on ant nests in association with Epidendrum imatophyllum. The unique pollination of this species was described by P. H. Allen in the Flora of Panama (Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 36:66-67.1949). The bee Euglossa cordata was observed visiting this species in Trinidad (Dodson,1965b) and in Panama (Dressler,1968a). |