Pseudolaelia

Taxobox
name = "Pseudolaelia"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo = Asparagales
familia = Orchidaceae
subfamilia = Epidendroideae
tribus = Epidendreae
subtribus = Laeliinae
genus = "Pseudolaelia"
genus_authority = Porto & Brade 1935
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

Pseudolaelia is a small genus belonging to the orchid family (Orchidaceae). The abbreviation used in the horticultural trade is Pdla.

Description

The flowers of these orchids resemble those of "Laelia", but the main difference between these two genera lies in the vegetative part.

These orchids occur exclusively in Eastern Brazil, often as epiphytes. Some are lithophytes, forming a thicket on the rocks. Others, as "Pseudolaelia vellozicola", are semi-epihytes and can be found on mat-like communities of "Vellozia" bushes on inselbergs (dome-shaped granitic or gneissic rock outcrops) in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, requiring an adaptation to the extreme environmental conditions (dryness, isolation)

The rhizomes are extended. The pseudobulbs are fusiform, cylindrical to conical, carrying three to eight leaves. These are apical, deciduous, upright, leathery and pointy. The base of the leaves clasps the pseudobulb from the upper third till the apex.

The inflorescence is a long raceme, growing from the apex of the pseudobulb, with an undefined number of small white to pink flowers, opening in a consecutive manner clustered at the apex.

Pollination is performed by hummingbirds, butterflies, dipterids and hymenopterids. The flowers of "Pseudolaelia corcovadensis", being self-compatible, are also pollinated by deceit by the bee "Bombus (Fervidobombus) atratus" by mimicking a generalized bee-attracting food-flower. However, these visits are rather rare

Species

* "Pseudolaelia brejetubensis" M.Frey (2003).
* "Pseudolaelia canaanensis" (Ruschi) F.Barros (1994).
* "Pseudolaelia cipoensis" Pabst (1973).
* "Pseudolaelia citrina" Pabst (1976).
* "Pseudolaelia corcovadensis" Porto & Brade (1935).
* "Pseudolaelia dutraei" Ruschi. (1949).
* "Pseudolaelia freyi" Chiron & V.P.Castro (2004).
* "Pseudolaelia geraensis" Pabst (1967).
* "Pseudolaelia irwiniana" Pabst (1973).
* "Pseudolaelia vellozicola" (Hoehne) Porto & Brade (1935).

Two new species have been proposed by M. Frey : "Pseudaelia maquijiensis" and "Pseudolaelia pavopolitana" (Brazilian Orchids, volume 28; January 2006 – interview with Wladyslaw e Aleksandro Zaslawski)

Interspecific species

* "Pseudolaelia × perimii" M.Frey (2005 ("P. brejetubensis" × "P. freyi").

References

*cite journal| author = Eduardo L. Borba, Pedro Ivo S. Braga | title = Reproductive biology of Pseudolaelia corcovadensis Porto & Brade (Orchidaceae): melittophyly and selfcompatibility in a basal Laeliinae | journal = Revista Brasil. Bot.| volume = 26|isuue = 4 | pages = 541–549 | year = 2003

Books

*cite book| author = Chiron, G. / Roquenant, C| title = Laelia et genres alliés. Brassavola, Cattleya, Pseudolaelia, Rhyncholaelia et Schomburgkia| year = 2000 (in French)