View source for Ionopsis

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Describe the plant here...
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Ionopsis (Greek, violet-like). Orchidaceae. A small group of epiphytic orchids, numbering about ten species, many of which can probably be reduced to varieties of a few species. Most of the species are insignificant, only one or two being cultivated.

Tropical herbs without pseudobulbs, haying very short sts., with few, narrow, sheathing, coriaceous lvs.: sepals subequal, erect, spreading, the dorsal one free, the lateral ones united into a short spur behind; petals like the dorsal sepals; label] urn united to the base of the column, middle lobe large, expanded, 2-3 times as long as the sepals, 2-lobed; column short; pollinia 2; fls. small, in simple racemes or much-branched panicles. The fine specimen of I. paniculata figured in the Botanical Magazine has a panicle 10 in. long, 8 ½ in. wide, with 5 branches, and about 80 fls., each ¾ in. across and chiefly white, with violet markings near the center and a dash of yellow. In its native country it is said to remain in attractive condition from Sept. to May. The fls. are produced so freely and over so long a period that it is sometimes necessary to destroy the fl.-spikes, which are out of all proportion to the number of lvs. The plants succeed in the warm- house under the same treatment as rodriguezias or the more delicate oncidiums.

The best means of culture for the successful growing of these beautiful though delicate orchids is in shallow pans with plenty of small broken coal cinders for drainage, covered with the fine particles of fern root and chopped sphagnum gathered from the upland meadows. Plenty of heat and moisture during the growing season are essential. Rest them in winter at a temperature of 50° to 55° F. (Wm. Mathews.)

I. testiculata, Lindl. Lvs. tufted, terete, acuminate: fls. whitish, small, numerous. Jamaica.
Heinrich Hasselbring.

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==Cultivation==


===Propagation===


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==Varieties==


==Gallery==

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==References==
<references/>
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

==External links==
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