Amesiella monticola is a miniature species of epiphytic orchid native to the Philippines. The specific epithet "monticola" refers to the montaneous habitat of the species. Monticola is a combination of "mons" or "montis", meaning mountain and "cola" or "colere" meaning "inhabitant" or "dweller".[3]

Amesiella monticola
Flower of Amesiella monticola
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Amesiella
Species:
A. monticola
Binomial name
Amesiella monticola
Cootes & D.P.Banks
distribution of Amesiella monticola
Synonyms[2]
  • Amesiella philippinensis var. monticola (Cootes & D.P.Banks) R.Rice

Description

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These monopodial herbs form small, leathery leaves.[4] The genus Amesiella forms white flowers with long spurs.[5] The 1–6 very large flowers in relation to the vegetative parts of the plants are borne on short, axillary racemes. They have a characteristic long, twisted spur, indicating moth pollination.[6] The flowers are purely white, devoid of any golden pigmentation of the labellum. This separates it from Amesiella philippinensis.

Taxonomy

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By some this species is treated as a mere variation of Amesiella philippinensis. Hence, it is synonymous with Amesiella philippinensis var. monticola.[2]

Conservation

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This species is critically endangered and its population is decreasing.[7][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Agoo, E.M.G.; Cootes, J.; Golamco, A. Jr.; de Vogel, E.F.; Tiu, D. (2004). "Amesiella monticola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004. IUCN: e.T46294A11042992. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T46294A11042992.en.
  2. ^ a b "Amesiella monticola". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  3. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, United Kingdom: Christopher Helm. pp. 260, 348. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4
  4. ^ Teoh E.S. (2021) Amesiella Schltr. ex Garay. In: Orchid Species from Himalaya and Southeast Asia Vol. 1 (A - E). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58872-4_9
  5. ^ Eur. J. Entomol. 112(2): 393–397, 2015 doi: 10.14411/eje.2015.031 ISSN 1210-5759 (print), 1802-8829 (online)
  6. ^ Genera Orchidacearum Volume 6: Epidendroideae (Part 3) Alec M. Pridgeon / Phillip J. Cribb / Mark W. Chase / Finn N. Rasmussen 2014 OUP Oxford ISBN 978-0-19-100389-9
  7. ^ "Amesiella monticola". The Encyclopedia of Life.