Restrepiella, Orchid
Restrepiella ophiocephala is the only species of orchid in genus Restrepiella. This species is also known as snake's head restrepiella. Ophiocephala is derived from the Greek words ophis (meaning snake) and cephalos' ( meaning head). Restrepiella ophiocephala is found in damp forests from Mexico to Costa Rica, alongside rivers at low altitude (40-1,600 m). Restrepiella ophiocephala is a robust epiphyte with a short and creeping rhizome. It can grow to 8-35cm long. The erect stem is stout and cylindrical, 15 cm long, and has a tubular bract. The fleshy, lanceolate leaves, 8-18 cm long, is attached to the stem by a short petiole. The tiny, fragrant, pale yellowish-brown flowers are dotted with dull purple spots. They grow from the base of the leaves, one at a time, on clustered inflorescence, and bloom from winter to spring. The outer surface of the flower is downy. The dorsal sepal is erect and teardrop-shaped (obovate), while the lateral sepals are fused with a small split at the apex. The petals are elliptical and short. Its lip is fleshy and tongue-shaped.  Restrepiella ophiocephala Author: Moises Béhar (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0-unported) | ||
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