View source for Houlletia

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Orchid genus ''Houlletia''
| image = Houlletia_Odoratissima.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''[[Houlletia odoratissima]]''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Asparagales]]
| familia = [[Orchidaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Epidendroideae]]
| tribus = [[Maxillarieae]]
| subtribus = [[Stanhopeinae]]
| genus = '''''Houlletia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Brogniart]] 1841
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision = 
See text.
}}

'''''Houlletia''''' ([[Brogniartt]] 1841) The genus was established with the publication by Brogniartt of ''[[Houlletia brocklehurstiana]]'' in 1841. The genus is named in honor of orchid collector and grower M. Houllet, French orchid collector in [[Brazil]], later the director of the ''Botanic Jardin des Plantes'' in Paris, 19th century 

These are large-growing epiphytic orchids with only a few species known from Mexico (or possibly [[Guatemala]] through Central America to [[Bolivia]]. They are found growing epiphytically and terrestrially on embankments in cool, humid, wet areas, 1,000-2,200 m elevation.

Gerlach (1999) places the genus Houlletia within the "Acineta-Verwandtschaftsgruppe," allied with ''[[Acineta]]'', ''[[Lueddemannia]]'' and ''[[Vasqueziella]]'' within the larger ''[[Stanhopeinae]]'' Alliance. 

Whitten, Williams, and Chase distinguish the '''''Houlletia''''' clade among the ''[[Stanhopeinae]]'', comprising ''[[Horichia]]'', Houlletia, ''[[Paphinia]]'', ''[[Schlimmia]]'', and ''[[Trevoria]]''.
They write: "As presently defined, Houlletia consists of two morphologically distinct groups. The group containing ''H. brockelhurstiana'' (the type species), ''H. tigrina'', ''H. odoratissima'' (Linden ex Lindl.), and ''H. juruenensis'' (Hoehne) have open, resupinate flowers that are heavily spotted in red-brown. The epichile is triangular and the hypochile bears a pair of curved, acute projections; the lip shares many features of the lip of ''[[Paphinia]]''. The viscidium is narrow, approximately the same width of the long stipe, and the pollinaria are deposited on the bee's scutellum. 
In contrast, the group containing ''H. sanderi'', ''H. wallisii'', ''H. clarae'' (Schltr.), and ''H. lowiana'' (Rchb.f). has globose, nonresupinate flowers that are white to yellow, mostly unspotted, and borne on an erect inflorescence. The epichile is rectangular or ovate (not triangular), and the lateral projections on the hypochile are broad instead of acute. The pollinarium has a broad, concave viscidium."

The plants have ovoid, ridged pseudobulbs, each bearing 2-4 large, pleated leaves. The inflorescences begin from the base of the pseudobulbs and are always pendant, with fleshy, showy flowers hanging downward ("nodding") on a simple raceme. The dorsal sepal is free and the lateral sepals form a short mentum with the column foot. The petals are similar to the dorsal sepal but smaller. The lip is deeply 3-lobed, the lateral lobes are upcurved and the mid-lobe is spreading. The anther is imperfectly two-celled and there are two waxy pollinia, cleft, with viscidium and a prominent stipe.

Note that in 1999, E. Luckel & H. Fessel published the new genus ''[[Jennyella]]'' "to accommodate the globose, white flowered taxa." They segregate four species previously attributed to Houlletia into the new genus ''Jennyella'': ''H. clarae'' (Schlechter 1924); ''H. kalbreyeriana'' (Kraenzlin 1920); ''H. lowiana'' (Rchb. f.); and ''H. sanderi'' (Rolfe 1910). 

For relatives of '''''Houlletia''''' see [[Stanhopeinae]].

==Species==

The representative species is ''Houlletia brocklehurstiana''.
*''[[Houlletia brocklehurstiana|H. brocklehurstiana]]'' (Brazil 1841).
*''[[Houlletia clava|H. clava]]'' 
*''[[Houlletia conspersa|H. conspersa]]''
*''[[Houlletia juruensis|H. juruensis]]''
*''[[Houlletia odoratissima|H. odoratissima]]''
*''[[Houlletia roraimensis|H. roraimensis]]''
*''[[Houlletia tigrina|H. tigrina]]''
*''[[Houlletia unguiculata|H. unguiculata]]''

== Intergeneric hybrids ==
*''Houllora'' ('
'Gongora'' x ''Houlletia''), in ''Orchid Rev.'', 108(1234), IPNI ID 1014858-1, February 7, 2003

==References==
*___ Brogniart (1841) "Houlletia brocklehurstiana," in: Annales des Sciences Naturelles; Botanique, sér. 2, 15: 37
* International Plant Names Index (IPNI)

==External links==
* [http://houstonorchidsociety.org/Stanhopea/Houlletia.html The Stanhopea Pages website /Houlletia].
* [http://troymeyers.com/direct/?092538  Meyers Conservatory: ''Houlletia odoratissima''].
* [http://www.cpo.org.br/Houlletia_brocklehurstiana_01.html ''Houlletia brocklehurstiana''].
* [http://www.orchidspecies.com/houltigrina.htm OrchidSpecies.com: ''Houlletia tigrina''].
* [http://www.orchidspecies.com/houllwallisii.htm OrchidSpecies.com: ''Houlletia wallisii''].
* [http://www.ipni.org International Plant Names Index (IPNI)]

[[Category:Orchid genera]]