Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 9.4
Data on
Cleistesiopsis
(Gregg and Catling
2002
)
Character
Cleistesiopsis bifaria
C. divaricarpa
Plant height (cm)
(12)15-46(64)
(15)31-76
Flower number
1-2(3)
1
Dorsal sepal (mm)
24-55 × 2-5
31-65 × 3-5.5
Lateral sepals (mm)
24-55 × 2-5
31-65 × 3-5.5
Lateral petals (mm)
21-36 × 6-12
27-53 × 5-19
Lip (mm)
21-38 × 13-16
26-55 × 18-24
Column (mm)
13-19
21-29
Chromosomes (2
n
)
18
18
Keel
Relative thickness
Thick
Thin
Width (central lip) (mm)
2.4-2.6
3-4
Depth of groove (mm)
0.3
1.5
North Carolina populations do not comprise a single genetically cohesive group and
may be separate species (Smith et al.
2004
).
C. divaricata
is absent in West Virginia
and the Appalachians but is present in pine savannas on the coastal plain from
northern Florida to southern New Jersey (Catling and Gregg
1992
).
Floral Morphology
Cleistesiopsis
typically bears one or occasionally, in West Virginia populations of
C. bifaria
, two or three terminal, resupinate flowers (Gregg
1989, 1991b
; Catling
and Gregg
1992
). Plants of
C. bifaria
are generally shorter with flowers that are
less colorful and about half as large as those of
C. divaricata
(Table
9.4
) (Luer
1975
; Gregg and Catling
2002
). Adjacent flowering and vegetative stems may
represent branches of the same rhizome (ramicauls) (Gregg
1989
). Both species
have three green to reddish brown or purple sepals borne in the same plane. These
are often positioned at approximately right angles to one another and perpendicu-
lar to the horizontal, tubular corolla (Figs.
9.3a
and
9.4a
) (Gregg
1989
; Catling
and Gregg
1992
). The latter is formed by the overlapping of two lateral petals
with the upturned basal margins of the labellum. The lateral petals have recurved
tips and are usually pink but vary from pale pink or white to deep rose with darker
magenta veining (Catling and Gregg
1992
). The labellum shows similar variation
in color with darker rose to purple veining and a fleshy, pollen-mimicking central
yellow crest (Figs.
9.3a
, c and
9.4a
). It is indistinctly three lobed and oblanceolate
with a crenulate margin. Nectaries are absent (Catling and Gregg
1992
). The col-
umn (Figs.
9.3b
and
9.4b
) is free, included, and concealed by the tubular corolla.
Slightly curved and ragged at its tip, it bears a terminal, incumbent anther with a
hinged anther cap (Catling and Gregg
1992
). The anther produces two yellow,
soft, and mealy pollen masses with an estimated total of 5,000-20,000 loosely
coherent tetrads. As in
Isotria
, true pollinia are absent, and the production of
Search WWH ::
Custom Search