Sacoila

Cranichideae subtribe Spiranthinae

Rosulate acaulous terrestrials. Roots succulent, fasciculate. Leaves elliptic, rubbery, typically absent during flowering. Inflorescences erect, long-scapose, densely-flowered racemes. Flowers tubular. Sepals and petals free, subsimilar, the bases of the lateral sepals forming a short spur with the foot. Lip unlobed, saccate at the base, rigidly fused to the base of the column. Column short, stout, with a long foot, the stigmas two, the rostellum rigid, linear, sharply pointed; pollinia 2, narrowly club-shaped on a common linear viscidium.

From the Latin saccos, meaning bag, and koilos, meaning hollow, describing the spur-like extension formed by the bases of the lateral sepals.

A genus of ten species ranging from the U.S.A. (Florida) to Bolivia and Paraguay. The genus is sometimes included in Stenorrhynchos L. C. Richard but differs by the presence of a short, broad, external spur and the habit of flowering without any leaves.

Catling, P. M. 1987. Notes on the breeding systems of Sacoila lanceolata (Aublet) Garay (Orchidaceae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 74:58-68.

Catling, P. M. and C. J. Sheviak 1993. Taxonomic notes on some North American orchids. Lindleyana 8(2):77-81.