Mountainous amesiella

Description

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". This species is critically endangered and its population is decreasing By some this species is treated as a mere variation of Amesiella philippinensis. Hence, it is synonymous with Amesiella philippinensis var. monticola These monopodial herbs form small, leathery leaves.The genus Amesiella forms white flowers with long spurs.These 1 to 6 (average of 3)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. The flowers are purely white, devoid of any golden pigmentation of the labellum. This separates it from Amesiella philippinensis. This species is critically endangered. Amesiella is a genus of orchids endemic to the Island of Luzon, in the Philippines.Previously it was believed that the species of this genus belonged to the genus Angraecum within the subtribe Angraecinae. The genus is named for Oakes Ames (botanist) (1874-1950), founder of the orchid herbarium at Harvard University.These short-stemmed, miniature epiphytes form elliptic, coriaceous, distichous leaves. White flowers with pronounces spurs, indicating moth pollination, are formed on short, axillary racemes.