Acostaea

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

Species
See text.

Acostaea is a genus of in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) comprised of four species native to Central and South America, the most common of which is A. costaricensis. The species are all very small, with the lateral sepals of the flower fused into a synsepal. The lip responds to touch by snapping upward against the column, which serves to trap an insect temporarily and force it to pollinate the flower. All species have two pollinia.

Species

  • Acostaea campylotyle
  • Acostaea costaricensis Schltr. (Costa Rica to Ecuador)
    • Acostaea costaricensis subsp. bicornis
    • Acostaea costaricensis subsp. unicornis
    • Acostaea costaricensis subsp. colombiana
  • Ascostaea tenax
  • Acostaea trilobata

References

Pridgeon, Alec, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 1999