Grammatophyllum
(pronounced: gram-at-oh-FILL-um)
Classification
Cymbidieae subtribe Cyrtopodiinae
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Overview
Large caespitose epiphytes or lithophytes. Roots often dimorphic with erect catch-roots formings nests. Pseudobulbs ovoid to cigar-shaped, leafy, fibrous. Leaves few to numerous, leathery. Inflorescences basal pedunculate racemes, the floral bracts inconspicuous. Flowers numerous, the basal flowers often sterile and malformed. Sepals and petals free, spreading, subequal. Lip three-lobed, hinged (shortly clawed) at the base, with longitudinal callus keels. Column stout, arching, without foot or wings; pollin 4, compressed, sessile in two pairs on a common transverse viscidium.
Etymology
From the Greek gramma, meaning letter, and phyllon, meaning leaf, referring to the markings on the sepals and petals.
Distribution
A genus of about 12 species found from Myanmar to the islands of the Pacific Ocean.
Care and Culture Card
See basic growing conditions and care information below.
Grow plants of Grammatophyllum in large pots or baskets using a coarse epiphyte mixture. Provide bright light, warm temperatures and regular watering throughout the year. The species with large elongate pseudobulbs frequently have problems with systemic fungi. If possible, artificially raised seedlings should be grown to avoid these pathogens.
Literature
Hawkes, A. D. 1950. Orchid studies II. Notes on Grammatophyllum Blume, I. Phytologia 3(5):275-259. Quisumbing, E. 1951. Grammatophyllum of the Philippines. Philipp. Orchid Rev. 4:26-29. Spence, P. 1999. Grammatophyllum stapeliaeflorum J. J. Smith. Orchids Austral. 11(6):36-38.
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