Prosthechea boothiana var. erythronioides

(Small) W. E. Higgins

N. Amer. Native Orchid J. 5: 18. 1999.

Common names: Florida dollar-orchid dollar orchid
Illustrated
Basionym: Epidendrum erythronioides Small Fl. S.E. U.S., 328, 1329. 1903
Synonyms: Encyclia bidentata subsp. erythronioides (Small) Hágsater Encyclia boothiana var. erythronioides (Small) Luer Epicladium boothianum var. erythronioides (Small) Acuña
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 614. Mentioned on page 610.

Plants to 30 dm. Stems: pseudobulbs aggregate, suborbicular, strongly flattened, 2.5–3.8 × 1–3 cm, smooth, glossy. Leaves 1–3, oblanceolate, 6–18 × 1–3.5 cm, apex obtuse to acute. Inflorescences racemes, to 25 cm; sheath conduplicate, elongate. Flowers 12, resupinate, simultaneous, greenish tan with reddish purple blotches; sepals oblanceolate, 1–1.4 × 3–3.5 mm, apex acute; petals similar, somewhat smaller, 1–1.3 × 1–2 mm; lip white to pale green, occasionally marked with magenta, rhombic to obscurely 3-lobed, 10 × 6–7 mm, lateral margins revolute; callus 3-dentate, middle tooth extended into thickened termination near apex of lip; anthers 3, middle anther with 4 pollinia, laterals with 2 each, yellow; column green at base, white distally, apex 3-toothed with smaller tooth in each sinus, 6–7 mm. Capsules 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 cm.


Phenology: Flowering Jul–Sep; fruiting Nov–Dec or throughout year.
Habitat: In hammocks and thickets, on small trees
Elevation: 0–30 m

Distribution

V26 1253-distribution-map.jpg

Fla., West Indies (Bahamas).

Discussion

The autogamous, 3-anthered Prosthechea boothiana var. erythronioides is the only variety found in Florida, probably because of the absence of a pollinator. Throughout the rest of the distribution of the species, the 3-anthered plants seldom occur. As most other autogamous tropical orchids in Florida, it has been able to survive there only because of the self-pollinating feature. The 1-anthered variety, var. boothiana, occurs in Cuba, Bahamas, Mexico, and Belize.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
Eric Hágsater +
(Small) W. E. Higgins +
Epidendrum erythronioides +
Florida dollar-orchid +  and dollar orchid +
Fla. +  and West Indies (Bahamas). +
0–30 m +
In hammocks and thickets, on small trees +
Flowering Jul–Sep +  and fruiting Nov–Dec or throughout year. +
N. Amer. Native Orchid J. +
Illustrated +
Encyclia bidentata subsp. erythronioides +, Encyclia boothiana var. erythronioides +  and Epicladium boothianum var. erythronioides +
Prosthechea boothiana var. erythronioides +
Prosthechea boothiana +
variety +