Cypella
Encyclopedia
Cypella is a genus
of herbaceous
, perennial and bulbous plants in the Iris family (Iridaceae
). It comprises about 22 species
distributed in South America
, from Peru
and Brazil
to Northern Argentina
. The genus name is likely derived from the Greek
word kyphella, meaning "hollow of the ear", and alludes to the shape of the inner tepal
s.
s, and slender flowering stems are usually branched into several flower clusters with tightly rolled bracts. The colourful delicate blooms each have 3 long tepal
s like a 3-pointed star, and 3 smaller ones. They bloom in yellows, oranges and blues usually with darker brown or purplish markings.
Paraguay to NE. Argentina.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
, perennial and bulbous plants in the Iris family (Iridaceae
Iridaceae
The Iris family or Iridaceae is a family of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants included in the monocot order Asparagales, taking its name from the genus Iris. Almost worldwide in distribution and one of the most important families in horticulture, it includes more than 2000 species...
). It comprises about 22 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
distributed in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, from Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
to Northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The genus name is likely derived from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word kyphella, meaning "hollow of the ear", and alludes to the shape of the inner tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s.
Description
Members of Cypella bear basal leaves which arise from small cormCorm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
s, and slender flowering stems are usually branched into several flower clusters with tightly rolled bracts. The colourful delicate blooms each have 3 long tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s like a 3-pointed star, and 3 smaller ones. They bloom in yellows, oranges and blues usually with darker brown or purplish markings.
List of species
Based on DNA and morphological features, the Southamerican genera Kelissa and Onira are now included in Cypella.- Cypella aquatilis Ravenna, Nordic J. Bot. 1: 489 (1981). S. BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. - Cypella armosa Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 20 (1981).
Paraguay to NE. Argentina.
- Cypella catharinensis Ravenna, Onira 10: 39 (2005). Brazil (Santa CatarinaSanta Catarina (state)Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
). - Cypella craterantha Ravenna, Revista Inst. Munic. Bot. 2: 52 (1964). PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
(CajamarcaCajamarcaCajamarca may refer to:Colombia*Cajamarca, Tolima a town and municipality in Tolima DepartmentPeru* Cajamarca, city in Peru.* Cajamarca District, district in the Cajamarca province.* Cajamarca Province, province in the Cajamarca region....
). - Cypella crenata (Vell.) Ravenna, Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 10: 312 (1965). Brazil (SE. Minas GeraisMinas GeraisMinas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
to São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
). - Cypella curuzupensis Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 19 (1981). ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. - Cypella discolor Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 16 (1981). S. Brazil.
- Cypella elegansCypella elegansCypella elegans is a herbaceous plant species in the genus Cypella found in Argentina ....
Speg., Physis (Buenos Aires) 2: 43 (1917). Argentina (Jujuy). - Cypella exilis Ravenna, Nordic J. Bot. 1: 492 (1981). E. & S. Brazil to NE. Argentina.
- Cypella fucata Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 18 (1981). S. Brazil to NE. UruguayUruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. - Cypella geniculata (Klatt) Ravenna, Revista Inst. Munic. Bot. 2: 53 (1964). Brazil.
- Cypella gigantea Klatt, Abh. Naturf. Ges. Halle 15: 364 (1882). Brazil (Minas Gerais).
- Cypella hauthalii (Kuntze) R.C.Foster, Contr. Gray Herb. 171: 23 (1950). SE. Paraguay to Argentina (CorrientesCorrientesCorrientes is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from Buenos Aires and from Posadas, on National Route 12...
, Misiones).- Cypella hauthalii subsp. hauthalii. SE. Paraguay to Argentina (NW. Corrientes, Misiones).
- Cypella hauthalii subsp. opalina Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 21 (1981). Argentina (Corrientes).
- Cypella herbertii (Lindl.) Herb., Bot. Mag. 53: t. 2637 (1826). S. Brazil to NE. Argentina.
- Cypella herbertii subsp. brevicristata Ravenna, Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 10: 312 (1965). Uruguay.
- Cypella herbertii subsp. herbertii. S. Brazil to NE. Argentina.
- Cypella herbertii subsp. reflexa Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 22 (1981). Argentina (Entre RíosEntre Ríos ProvinceEntre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
). - Cypella herbertii subsp. wolffhuegelii (Hauman) Ravenna, Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 10: 312 (1965). Argentina (Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
).
- Cypella laeta Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 13 (1981). NE. Argentina.
- Cypella lapidosa Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 21 (1981). Argentina (Corrientes).
- Cypella laxa Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 15 (1981). S. Brazil.
- Cypella mandonii Rusby, Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 6: 125 (1896). BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. - Cypella oreophila Speg., Physis (Buenos Aires) 2: 44 (1917). NW. Argentina.
- Cypella osteniana Beauverd, Bull. Soc. Bot. Genève 14: 165 (1922 publ. 1923). Uruguay.
- Cypella pabstiana Ravenna, Wrightia 7: 18 (1981). Brazil (ParanáParaná (state)Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
). - Cypella pusilla (Link & Otto) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks., Index Kew. 1: 689 (1893). S. Brazil.