The Palmetto Quarterly Magazine of the Florida Native Society · Vol. 15, No. 2 · Summer 1995

Florida Butterfly Orchid

by Elizabith Smith

"Hardly can a forest or hammock in us that this could not be true, because southern Florida be entered without soon John Torrey was reported to be in Florida encountering one of these ," writes not until 25 years later in 1871, and then Dr. Carlyle A. Luer about the Florida only along the northern border. It is more butterfly orchid in his wonderful com- likely that army doctors and others in the pilation, The Native Orchids of Florida. Tampa Bay area sent specimens to Torrey The butterfly orchid, tam- in New York prior to 1847, who then pensis (also tampense), is forwarded them on to Lindley. one of the most common epiphytic The classification and description of orchids, found throughout peninsular was written up in The Florida from the north-central region to Botanical Register in 1847, but the orchid the Keys (one of the few orchids found in may have been collected much earlier; and the Keys) and the Bahamas. It thrives in a preserved specimens kept in Tampa, New wide variety of conditions, tolerating dark York, or England may have languished on swamps or sunny, open, dry forests, and desks, shelves, or ships before Dr. grows on many different trees - pines, Lindley received them. Constant editing cypresses, gurnbo-limbos, cedars, , and condensing by historians and writers and palms. have passed along the idea that Encyclia When I see a panicle of these beautiful tampensis was collected in Tampa by small suspended overhead, I am John Torrey, when the credit belongs to reminded of the common name and can an unknown botanist or enthusiast who see their resemblance to a cloud of tiny sent it to Torrey nearly 150 years ago. The white and pink butterflies. The more original holotype (specimen) of that scientifically minded claim that the name butterfly orchid is still preserved in the stigma. Encyclia is often classified as a comes from the occasional butterfly London Museum. section within the Epidendrum, attracted by the sweet fragrance of the John Beckner also recounts that dried although many botanists feel that , although this is actually pseudobulbs were found in an archaeological Encyclia has enough characteristics to pollinated by small bees. The orchid dig near Ft. Pierce. The bulbs were part of the distinguish it as a separate group. attracts diurnal (daytime) pollinators, and garbage remains of a shipwreck camp its scent is strongest from mid-morning to The species name tampensis describes dating from the 1600s. it is thought that afternoon. the first recorded location of discovery the survivors gathered them for food, but near Tampa Bay. Most descriptions state The genus name, Encyclia, is from the found them unpalatable and threw them that Encyclia tampensis was first Greek word meaning "to encircle", and out. collected in the Tampa Bay area by John refers to the sides of the flower's lip, It is also reported that American Torrey in 1846, who then sent specimens which curve upward and encircle the Indians collected the pseudobulbs. for to in England for his study column. The column is a specialized food, and that the larger bulbs are and classification. John Beckner, of the structure in orchids that is a union (to sometimes gnawed on by animals, Orchid Identification Center at Marie different degrees) of stamens, style, and possibly in an attempt to get water. Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, tells The numerous roots anchor the splotch or streaks in the center. The recovering. Encyclia tam-pensis also pear-shaped or ovoid pseudobulbs (not butterfly orchid is reported to be highly responds well to culture and has true bulbs at all, but the thickened portion variable in the color and size of flowers; long-lasting flowers - desirable features of the stem) to the tree. The pseudobulbs there are even several albino varieties. that contribute to its over-collection and are a dull to shiny green, sometimes Win Turner, Florida native and Naples to its becoming a threat-ened species. streaked with purple, often enclosed in resident, remembers finding a white [This species has subsequently been the remnants of papery sheaths, I to 7 cm butterfly orchid in an old cypress dome removed from the FDACS threatened plant list long and 1 to 2.6 cm wide. One to three where the Collier County complex now at the recommendation of the Endangered rigid, linear-lanceolate leaves, up to 40 cm exists in east Naples. Some of the Plant Advisory Council. At the current time, long and 2 cm wide, emerge from the top white-lipped forms are available 2002, this species is not considered to be threatened – ed.]. of the pseudobulb. commercially.

Blooming period is mostly during the The is a hanging capsule, ellip- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Elizabeth Smith, spring and summer, but can occur soid in shape, 3 by 1.5 cm, and, when a past president of the Naples Chapter, throughout the year. The flower spike mature, splits into three "valves" to allow has illustrated two FNPS books as well grows from between the leaves to a length the wind to disperse the tiny, dustlike as writing and illustrating articles for The of up to 76 cm, bearing a loose particle of seeds. Palmetto. as many as 45 blooms. The sepals and Even though this is one of our hardier petals are similar in shape and vary in native orchids that can withstand a freeze, color from yellow-green to green, streaked hard freezes and mealy bug infestation with purple or brown. The white lip is have been responsible for population deeply lobed with a magenta to purple declines, but they are reportedly

Smith, E. 1995 Florida Butterfly Orchid. The Palmetto, 15(2):3. http://www.fnps.org/palmetto/v15i2p3Smith.pdf (19 October, 2002).

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