Porroglossum

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Porroglossum
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Pleurothallidinae
Genus: Porroglossum
Schltr.

Species
*Porroglossum andreettae

Porroglossum (from Greek "far off" and "tongue", referring to the position of the lip) is a genus of orchids with 28 species, distributed in the Andes.

The lip is unique in this genus: it is hinged and has a mechanism that snaps shut when stimulated by a pollinator, thus trapping the insect to ensure that the pollinia will be removed and later transferred to the receptive surface. The lip opens after 30 minutes or so to release the insect, but also closes at night and reopens at dawn.

Lothiania Kraenzl. and Lothoniana Kraenzl. are synonym of Porroglossum.