Piperia

Piperia is a genus of the orchid family Orchidaceae. These plants are known as rein orchids. They are native to western North America, especially California and the Pacific Northwest. This genus has the following characteristics: (a) a bisexual perennial nongreen plant that grows from buried tubers; fruit capsule bearing numerous minute seeds; (c) pollen that is sticky, and which is removed as sessile anther sacs; and (d) stigma fused with its style into a column. There are a total of ten species in the genus Piperia, which is named for American botanist Charles V. Piper. The genus members manifest generally cylindrical spikes or racemes.

Piperia
Piperia yadonii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Orchideae
Subtribe: Orchidinae
Genus: Piperia
Rydb.
Species

10, see text

The subsurface architecture of these terrestrial wild orchids consists of a rhizome structure, from which emanate tubers. The rhizome extracts nutrients from fungal intermediates and may also store some of these nutrients. A basal rosette of leaves develops from the tuber at the surface of the soil, each of the two or three leaves being lanceolate in shape.[1] Each leaf ranges from 10 to 15 centimeters in length and 20 to 35 millimeters in width. Leaves of younger plants are often more diminutive in size.

Piperia yadonii exhibits a single veined flower one to two millimeters in width and a basal rosette leaf formation.

Selected species:

  • Piperia candida - whiteflower rein orchid
  • Piperia colemanii - Coleman's rein orchid
  • Piperia cooperi - Cooper's rein orchid
  • Piperia elegans - elegant rein orchid
  • Piperia elongata - denseflower rein orchid
  • Piperia leptopetala - narrow-petal rein orchid
  • Piperia michaelii - Michael's piperia
  • Piperia transversa - royal rein orchid
  • Piperia unalascensis - slenderspire rein orchid
  • Piperia yadonii - Yadon's piperia

References
  1. Morgan & Ackerman, Lindleyana 5:205–211 (1990)
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