Epipogium aphyllum Sw.

Ghost orchid (en), Épipogon sans feuilles (fr), Épipogium sans feuilles (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Orchidaceae > Epipogium

Characteristics

Plants 10-30 cm tall. Rhizome coralloid, 1.5-2.5 × 1-1.8 cm, branching. Stem pale brown, with a few membranous sheaths; sheaths amplexicaul, pale brown, 5-9 mm, membranous. Rachis laxly 2-6-flowered; floral bracts narrowly ovate, 6-9 × 2.8-4 mm. Flowers not resupinate, usually pendulous, weakly spreading to widely spreading, yellow, tinged with pink or pale purple; pedicel 3-5 mm; ovary 3-5 mm. Sepals spreading, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 12-18 × 2-3 mm, apex obtuse or acute. Petals similar to sepals, spreading, often slightly wider than sepals, apex acute; lip cordate-ovate when flattened, concave, 6-10 × 6-12 mm, 3-lobed near base; lateral lobes erect, ovate-triangular, 3-3.5 × ca. 3 mm; mid-lobe reflexed, ovate-elliptic, concave, 8-10 × 6-7 mm, lateral mar-gins nearly slightly erose and involute, apex acute; disk with 4-6 longitudinal, purplish red, papillose ridges; spur large and thick, 5-8 × 4-5 mm, apex obtuse. Column 6-7 mm. Fl. Aug-Sep. 2n = 68.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread anemochory
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.1 - 0.3
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 6-10

Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Epipogium aphyllum habit picture by kafaktor (cc-by-sa)
Epipogium aphyllum habit picture by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Epipogium aphyllum flower picture by kafaktor (cc-by-sa)
Epipogium aphyllum flower picture by Benevelli Matteo (cc-by-sa)
Epipogium aphyllum flower picture by Markus Nestmeyer (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Epipogium aphyllum world distribution map, present in China, France, and Pakistan

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:633401-1
WFO ID wfo-0000952334
COL ID 6FV6P
BDTFX ID 24479
INPN ID 96499
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Orchis aphylla Serapias epigogium Satyrium epipogium Epipogium epipogium Epipogium gmelinii Epipogium aphyllum f. albiflorum Epipactis epipogium Epipogium generalis Epipogon epipogium Limodorum aphyllum Limodorum epipogium Epipogium aphyllum var. stenochilum Epipogium aphyllum