Rat-tail orchid

Pleurothallis pachyrachis A. Richard in R. de la Sagra, Hist. Fis. Cuba 11: 234. 1850 (as pachyrhachis)

Plants creeping. Roots numerous, yellowish, often branched, 0.5–1 mm diam. Stems stout; rhizomes 8–55 × 2.5–7 mm; pseudobulbs 3–4-angled, 1–5 × 0.7–2.5 cm. Leaves 1–3; blade oblong to oblong-oblanceolate, 6–20 × 7–28 mm, leathery, apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences: peduncle partially concealed by ensheathing, scarious bracts, 4–24 cm × 1.5–2.5 mm; spikes 12–28-flowered, 4–25 cm × 2–7 mm; floral bracts triangular-ovate, 2–5.5 mm. Flowers yellow-green, spotted red, sessile, glabrous; sepals 3-veined, concave, triangular-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 4–7 × 1.5–3 mm, fleshy, apex acuminate-caudate; petals oblong-elliptic, 1–2.5 × 0.5–1.5 mm, apex obtuse to rounded; lip adnate to and articulate with column foot, linguiform, 2.5–3 mm, very thick, fleshy, margins entire, verrucose; column stout, 2–2.5 mm, apex 3-dentate, middle tooth acute, 0.5 mm, lateral teeth winglike, oblong, subulate, 1 mm; column foot slender, 1–1.5 mm; pollinia 2; ovary sessile, partially embedded in pits on rachis. Capsules cylindric, ribbed, 8–11 mm, glabrous.

Flowering Nov--Dec. On hardwoods in swamps; 5--20 m; Fla.; Mexico; West Indies; Central America; n South America.

The Florida population of Bulbophyllum pachyrachis reported by C. A. Luer (1972) no longer exists (E. Christenson, pers. comm.).