No images found for this plant ID: 8297.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "8297" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

Safe for Dogs?

Safe for Cats?

Safe for Reptiles?

leafless bentspur orchid

Scientific Name: Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum

Family: Orchidaceae

Category: Monocot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names: FL (leafless orchid)

       

Leafless Bentspur Orchid

The Leafless Bentspur Orchid, scientifically known as Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum, is a fascinating and rare orchid species.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum (Rchb. f.) Rolfe
  • Family: Orchidaceae
  • Synonyms: Aeranthus pachyrrhizus Rchb. f.
  • Common Names: Leafless Bentspur Orchid, Ribbon Orchid, Little Bent-Spur Orchid

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to the West Indies (Greater Antilles).
  • Also found in Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador.
  • In the United States, it is extremely rare and found only in a tiny pocket of one remote part of Florida, specifically Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Classified as a forb/herb, meaning it's a non-woody plant that is not a grass.
  • This orchid is leafless, with a flower stalk that can sometimes exhibit leaf-like structures.

Ecological Role

  • Endangered in Florida.

Quirky Facts

  • Alvah A. Eaton first collected the Leafless Bentspur Orchid in 1905.
  • It is one of the rarest of Florida's three leafless orchid species.

Further Information

  • USF Herbarium
  • British Database of World Flora and Fauna