Ponthieva
(pronounced: pon-THEE-vah)
Classification
Cranichideae subtribe Cranichidinae
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Overview
Rosulate terrestrials and epiphytes with fleshy, fasciculate roots. Stems very short (acaulous). Leaves few, basal, glabrous or densely villose, petiolate. Inflorescences erect or rarely pendent, scapose racemes, few to many-flowered. Flowers not resupinate. Sepals and petals dissimilar, the sepals free, spreading, the petals strongly oblique-asymmetric, long-clawed, the base of the claw fused to the column to usually +/- half the length of the column, yeld subparallel with the inner faces usually touching. Lip boat-shaped, three-lobed with the midlobe small, usually bluntly apiculate, without callus. Column short, the anther terminal, the rostellum needle-like; pollinia 4, attached to a common viscidium.
Distribution
A genus of about 55 species distributed throughout the new world tropics.
Care and Culture Card
See basic growing conditions and care information below.
Grow Ponthieva in pots in a light terrestrial mixture or fine seedling-grade epiphyte mixture. Provide bright light, intermediate to cool-intermediate temperatures, and steady watering while in active growth. Most species have a dormancy following flowering when water should be reduced to maintenance program.
Literature
Bock, I. 1998. Ponthieva maculata Lindl. und Ponthieva brenesii Schltr. kritisch betrachtet. Die Orchidee 49(1):2-6. Garay, L. A. 1995. The identity of the genus Androchilus. Lindleyana 10(2):127-129. Greenwood, E. W. 1986. Ponthieva angustipetala Greenwood, una nueva especie inesperada del sur de Mexico. Orquidea (Mex.) 10:7-26. Greenwood, E. W. 1990. Cranichis schaffneri. lectotypification and transfer to Ponthieva. Orquidea (Mex.) 12:54-56. Sauleda, R. P. and R. M. Adams 1980. The taxonomic status of Ponthieva brittonae Ames (Orchidaceae). Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 107(4):544-545. Senghas, K. 1989. Ponthieva maculata 1845. Die Orchidee 40(2): Orchideenkartei Seite 561-562.
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