Taeniophyllum

Taeniophyllum, commonly known as ribbon roots[2] or 带叶兰属 (dai ye lan shu)[3] is a genus of about 240 species of epiphytic or lithophytic plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are more or less leafless with a very short stem and roots that are often flat, green and photosynthetic. The flowers are small, short-lived, flat or tube-shaped and arranged on short, thin flowering stems. Orchids in this genus are found in Africa, tropical and subtropical Asia, New Guinea, Australia and some Western Pacific Islands.

Taeniophyllum
Taeniophyllum biocellatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Vandeae
Subtribe: Aeridinae
Genus: Taeniophyllum
Blume[1]
Species

See List of Taeniophyllum species

Diversity
240 species
Synonyms[1]

Description

Orchids in the genus Taeniophyllum are small epiphytic or lithophytic monopodial herbs, with the leaves reduced to tiny overlapping, brownish scales. There is a short stem with spreading grey or greenish roots which are photosynthetic, mainly in the rainy season. The flowers are small, arranged on a short flowering stem and only last for about a day. The sepals and petals are either free and spread widely apart from each other or joined near the base to form a tube. The labellum sometimes has three lobes and usually has a sac-like spur.[2][3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Taeniophyllum was first formally described in 1825 by Carl Ludwig Blume who published the description in Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indie.[6][7] The name Taeniophyllum is derived from the Ancient Greek words tainia meaning "ribbon", "fillet", "band", "stripe" or "tapeworm"[8]:660 and phyllon meaning "leaf".[8]:466

Distribution

Plants in this genus are found in Africa from Ghana to Zimbabwe, in tropical and subtropical Asia including India, China, Japan and Korea, in Southeast Asia including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, in New Guinea, Australia and some Pacific islands including Fiji, New Caledonia and Tonga.[1]

Species

See List of Taeniophyllum species

See also

References
  1. "Taeniophyllum". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. pp. 453–454. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. Chen, Xinqi; Wood, Jeffrey J. "Taeniophyllum". Flora of China. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  4. "Taeniophyllum". Trin keys. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  5. "Genus Taeniophyllum". Orchids of New Guinea. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  6. "Taeniophyllum". APNI. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  7. Blume, Carl Ludwig (1825). Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indie (Part 8). pp. 355–356. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  8. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
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