Zootrophion
Encyclopedia
Zootrophion is a genus
of about 12 species of orchid, distributed from Jamaica
and Central America
through the Andes
. The stems have inflated, flattened sheaths. The flowers bear sepal
s that fuse at their tips to form box-like structures that resemble animal's heads, hence the generic name, which means "menagerie".
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 12 species of orchid, distributed from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
through 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...
. The stems have inflated, flattened sheaths. The flowers bear 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 that fuse at their tips to form box-like structures that resemble animal's heads, hence the generic name, which means "menagerie".