#cordigera

Encyclia cordigera is an orchid found from southern Mexico through Panama and scattered in northern Colombia. This usually epiphytic plant grows in fairly dry through tropical forests with a variety of phenotypes. An adaptable orchid, it is well-liked in collections and has 3 prominent color forms ranging from an alba form (green petals/sepals and white lip) through the darker form shown here. The flower stems emerge from between a pair of leaves atop fairly large pyramidal oval pseudobulbs. Many orchids have a history of repeated misidentification or generalization, this species having received more than its fair share. In the past it was depicted as a related but distinct species from Brazil, as well as generalized as Epidendrum altopurpurea. Check out the lower flower where a growth defect changed the distribution of pigment and how that responds to the ultraviolet differently!

Encyclia cordigera pseudobulbs. The name Orchid comes from the latin orchis which means testicle. This is familiar to folks in the medical world where cryptorchid is a term that means undescended testicle and the medical term for neutering a male dog or cat is orchidectomy. This closeup of the pseudobulbs of Encyclia cordigera I think nicely illustrates how the name applies. #pseudobulbs #pseudobulb #encycliacordigera #encyclia #cordigera #CUgreenhouse #botany (at CU Greenhouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm2iI1IL8Ls/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=