Cephalanthera

Cephalanthera
Cephalanthera damasonium from Die Orchideen Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Gebiete
Scientific Classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family:Orchidaceae Subfamily: Epidendroideae Tribe: Neottieae SubTribe: Limodorinae Alliance: Genus: Cephalanthera L.C. Rich 1818 Type Species Cephalanthera pallens

Cephalanthera abbreviated Ceph in horticultural trade, is a genus of, mostly, terrestrial orchids.

Distribution

Several species are common in Europe, for example the Sword-leaved Helleborine C. longifolia. Most others are native to Asia, ranging from the Caucasus, e.g. C. caucasica, to Japan, e.g. the Bamboo-leaved Silver Orchid C. longibracteata. The Chinese species C. gracilis was only described in 2002. The only species found in North America is the Phantom Orchid or Snow Orchid C. austiniae. Ecologically, this species is partially myco-heterotrophic. Some of the Eurasian species hybridise.

Description

Members of this genus have rhizomes rather than tubers. About 15 species are currently recognized.

Several of the European species have common names including the word "helleborine", but this name does not correspond to any modern taxon, and orchids in other genera are also called helleborines. In addition to those listed here, very large numbers of other specific names will be found in the older literature, but these are almost all synonyms for the best known species such as C. longifolia or C. damasonium, the European White Helleborine.

Culture

Plants require cool to intermediate conditions. They rely on mycorrhizal fungus to grow.

Naming

This genus is named after its single stamen which sits on top of the anther

Synonyms

1. Dorycheile Rchb.f 1841
2. Helleborine Hill Britt.
3. Callithronum Ehrh., 1789.
4. Lonchophyllum Ehrh., 1789.
5. Dorycheile Rchb., 1841.
6. Xiphophyllum Ehrh., 1879.
7. Eburophyton A.Heller, 1904.
8. Tangtsinia S.C.Chen, 1965.

Species

Cephalanthera alpicola Fukuy., 1938. Cephalanthera austiniae (A.Gray) A.Heller, 1900. Cephalanthera bijiangensis S.C.Chen, 1987. Cephalanthera calcarata S.C.Chen & K.Y.Lang, 1986. Cephalanthera caucasica Kraenzl., 1931. Cephalanthera cucullata Boiss. & Heldr. in P.E.Boissier, 1854. Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce, 1906. Cephalanthera epipactoides Fisch. & C.A.Mey., 1854. Cephalanthera erecta (Thunb.) Blume, 1859. Cephalanthera erecta var. erecta. Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata N.Pearce & P.J.Cribb, 2001. Cephalanthera erecta f. subaphylla (Miyabe & Kudô) M.Hiroe, 1971. Cephalanthera exigua Seidenf., 1975. Cephalanthera falcata (Thunb.) Blume,1859. Cephalanthera gracilis S.C.Chen & G.H.Zhu, 2002. Cephalanthera kotschyana Renz & Taubenheim, 1980. Cephalanthera kurdica Bornm. ex Kraenzl., 1895. Cephalanthera longibracteata Blume, 1859. Cephalanthera longifolia (L.) Fritsch, 1888. Cephalanthera mairei Schltr., 1919. Cephalanthera pusilla (Hook.f.) Seidenf., 1975. Cephalanthera raymondiae Schltr., 1922. Cephalanthera rubra (L.) Rich., 1817. Cephalanthera szechuanica Schltr., 1924.

Natural Hybrids

• Cephalanthera × mayeri (E.Mayer & Zimmerm.) A.Camus in E.G.Camus & A.A.Camus, 1929.
• Cephalanthera × renzii B.Baumann & al., 2003.
• Cephalanthera × schaberi H.Baumann, 1980.
• Cephalanthera × schulzei E.G.Camus, 1908.
• Cephalanthera × taubenheimii H.Baumann, 1983.