Lecanorchis

Lecanorchis is a genus of orchids (family Orchidaceae) belonging to the subfamily Vanilloideae.

Lecanorchis
Lecanorchis japonica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Vanilloideae
Tribe: Vanilleae
Genus: Lecanorchis
Blume
Type species
Lecanorchis japonica
Blume, Mus. Bot. 2: 188 (1856).

The scientific name is derived from the Greek words lekane (basin) and orchis (orchid).

They occur in mountain forest of the Himalayas, China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea at altitudes of 300–1,500 metres (980–4,920 ft).

They are terrestrial, leafless myco-heterotrophs (formerly called saprophytes). They produce numerous, long, thick, horizontal roots under a short rhizome. The erect, dark, branched or unbranched stems are thin and brittle. They bear few to many dull brown, purple, yellow or green flowers with a somewhat brighter lip. The lip is about of equal length to the sepals and is covered with dense, yellow hair.

Characteristics for this species are:

  • A calyculus, a cup-like structure formed from a group of small bracts, is present.
  • The erect gynostemium (the fused stamen and pistil) is elongate.

Lecanorchis is related to Clematepistephium and Eriaxis, both endemic to New Caledonia.

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