Yucatan Nodding Caps Triphora

Plants 5–20 cm. Roots from ovoid-cylindric tuberoids, 30–50 × 6–10 mm. Stems green, sometimes suffused with purple, unbranched. Leaves 3–6, diverging at ± right angles from stem; blade dark green on both surfaces, not bractlike, broadly ovate to cordate, 1–2 × 1–2 cm, margins undulate. Inflorescences 1–4(–8)-flowered racemes. Flowers not resupinate, erect, closed to somewhat gaping, yellowish green abaxially, white or pale green adaxially, flowering apparently successive, anthesis overlapping; dorsal sepal oblanceolate, 8 × 1.5 mm; lateral sepals linear-lanceolate, falcate, 8 × 1.5 mm; petals linear-lanceolate, falcate, 7 × 1.5 mm; lip facing stem, white, linear-ovate to ovate, 5–6 × 2.5–3 mm, middle lobe nearly rectangular, lateral lobes broadly triangular, margins sinuate to nearly lacerate; disc with 3 yellow, raised, denticulate crests; column yellowish white, clavate, slender, 5 mm; pollinia yellow. Capsules erect, ellipsoid, 15 × 8 mm.

Fla.; Mexico.

Flowering summer.

Upland hardwood hammocks, in rich humus and rotting wood; 0--20m.

Triphora rickettii Luer