Bletia

Ruiz & Pavon

Fl. Peruv. Prodr., 119, plate 26. 1794.

Etymology: For Luis Blet, a Catalonian apothecary of the eighteenth century who accompanied Ruiz and Pavón on their New World explorations
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 602. Mentioned on page 495, 604.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA26 Plate 099.jpegCalopogon tuberosus var. tuberosus
Bletia purpurea
Hexalectris warnockii
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi

Plants herbs, terrestrial, cespitose, sympodial. Roots fleshy, velamentous. Stems short, stout rhizomes and pseudobulbs. Leaves deciduous, 3–5, basal and cauline, petiolate; blade articulate, pleated, thin. Inflorescences lateral, racemes or sparsely branched panicles, erect, scapose, 3–80-flowered; floral bracts distant, tubular. Flowers resupinate; sepals and petals subsimilar, distinct; lip attached to base of column, margins entire to 3-lobed; disc smooth, lamellate or with 5–7 denticulate crests; column elongate, arcuate, sometimes winged distally; anther terminal, incumbent; pollinia 8 in 2 sets of 4, yellow, compressed, hard, waxy or rarely mealy; stigma entire; ovary pedicellate. Fruits capsules, cylindric.

Distribution

s Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America

Discussion

Species 31 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Sepals (12–)15–26 mm; pedicellate ovary 9–18 mm; column foot present. Bletia purpurea
1 Sepals 30–40 mm; pedicellate ovary 20–35 mm; column foot absent. Bletia patula

"thin" is not a number.

... more about "Bletia"
self-pollination +
James D. Ackerman +
Ruiz & Pavon +
indehiscent +
conduplicate +  and plicate +
flattened +, triangular +  and cylindric +
elongate +
5 (?) +  and 7 (?) +
denticulate +
with 5-7 denticulate crests +  and lamellate +
s Fla. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and South America +
For Luis Blet, a Catalonian apothecary of the eighteenth century who accompanied Ruiz and Pavón on their New World explorations +
3-merous +, sessile +  and pedicellate +
duplicate +, convolute +, whorled +, opposite +, distichous +  and alternate +
deciduous +
cauline +  and basal +
3 (?) +  and 5 (?) +
reduced +
attached +
larger +
entire +  and 3-lobed +
differing in form and color +
3-80-flowered +, scapose +  and branched +
distinct +
compressed +
mealy +, ceraceous +  and hard +
Fl. Peruv. Prodr., +
3-80-flowered +  and scapose +
aerial +  and subterranean +
minute +
distinct +
foliaceous +
not +  and alike +
4 +  and 2 +
branched +, or +  and simple +
pendent +  and erect +
proliferous +
thickened +  and stout +
concave +  and convex +
Orchidaceae (tribe Arethuseae) subtribe Bletiinae +
annual +  and perennial +
aquatic +, lithophytic +, terrestrial +  and epiphytic +
saprophytic +, photosynthetic +  and mycotrophic +