Restrepia antennifera

Restrepia antennifera, the Antennae-carrying Restrepia, is an epiphytic, miniature species of orchid found at higher altitudes in cool, moist montane forests in Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.

Antennae-carrying Restrepia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Restrepia
Species:
R. antennifera
Binomial name
Restrepia antennifera
Synonyms
  • Pleurothallis ospinae R.E.Schult.
  • Restrepia hemsleyana Schltr.
  • Restrepia antennifera ssp. hemsleyana (Schltr.) H.Mohr
  • Restrepia antennifera ssp. klabochorum H.Mohr

These tiny orchids lack pseudobulbs. The erect, thick, leathery leaf is elliptic-ovate in shape. The aerial roots seem like fine hairs.

The attractive flowers are 56 cm long. They develop one at a time at the base of the leaf. They are borne on a slender peduncle, originating from the base of the back of the leaf. The long dorsal sepal is erect, triangular at the base and ends in a somewhat thicker club-shaped tip (= clavate). They have fused lateral sepals (synsepals) which may be quite colorful : yellow, orange or tan with contrasting maroon lengthwise stripes. The long, slender, lateral petals equally end in a thickened club-shaped tip. The long lip is ovoid and widest at its apex. It shows a reddish lengthwise stripe. In rare cases, the synsepals may split, resulting in two separate sepals. The column has four pollinia.

Restrepia antennifera is well-known to orchid growers, although many other Restrepias are misidentified as "antennifera". The flower blooms for 1 to 2 weeks. They flower again and again in sequential order from the same growth.

References

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