Trisetella
Encyclopedia
Trisetella is a genus
of about 20 species of South America
n orchid, native to the Andes
. They bear small flowers with fused sepal
s and fused petal
s. The synsepal
bears three hair-like tails, which is the namesake of Trisetella ("three little bristles").
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 about 20 species of 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...
n orchid, native to the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. They bear small flowers with fused sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s and fused petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s. The synsepal
Synsepal
A synsepal is a floral structure formed by the partial or complete fusion of two or more sepals. Such sepals are said to be gamosepalous....
bears three hair-like tails, which is the namesake of Trisetella ("three little bristles").