Polystachya concreta (Jacq.) Garay & H.R.Sweet

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose epiphytes, lithophytes or terrestrial herbs

Morphology Stem

Stems pseudobulbous to slightly swollen at base, hidden by leaf-sheaths, composed of several subequal intenodes, 1–4 cm long

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 2–4, sheathing at base; blades conduplicate and petiole-like at base, thin, narrowly oblong to elliptic, mostly acute, 3.5–21 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences erect, generally paniculate but racemose in small plants; peduncle compressed, covered by scarious sheaths, 12–17 cm long; branches of panicles secund, rachises many-flowered, 12–24 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers yellow or pale green with a white lip, non-resupinate; dorsal sepal ovate- elliptic, acute, 2.5–4 mm long, lateral sepals triangular, 4.5–5.0 mm in its longest dimension, attached to the column foot to form a mentum; petals narrowly oblanceolate, acute-obtuse, 2–3 mm long; lip trilobed, attached to the column foot, cuneate, rhombic, 3–5 mm long, 3 mm wide, lateral lobes falcate, apices almost reaching the apex of the midlobe, midlobe quadrate to oblong, retuse, subapiculate, disc with a linear, densely farinose callus (pseudopollen), 2 mm long, ending at the base of the midlobe.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column

Column short, cylindrical, 1.5 mm long, column foot 2–3 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules brown at maturity, ellipsoid, 6–12 mm long.

Distribution

Little Cayman. Pantropical(?). African and Asian synonyms may represent different species even though some of them have been used for neotropical plants (e.g. Polystachya flavescens).

Recognition

Like Polystachya foliosa, morphological variation in vegetative parts of P. concreta is substantial with quite small plants producing inflorescences, and sometimes populations consist of only such small plants. However, floral morphology is relatively invariant. Over the centuries, there have been a number of attempts to recognize segregate taxa from both of these species, which may make sense locally but do not appear to hold up across the range of the species.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–1600 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Cauca, Chocó, Magdalena.

Habit

Herb, Epiphyte.

Conservation

Listed in Appendix II of CITES.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.