CZ:Featured article/Current

Heterotaxis

Heterotaxis is a genus of orchids formed by a group of circa fourteen epiphytic neotropical species which previously were considered part of genus Maxillaria. Most of the species are robust plants with shiny dark green leaves which presents a showy display making a very good first impression but that end disappointing because of their small flowers, usually yellow, which, because of their short inflorescences, hide between the foliage and can hardly be seen. Although the species that belong to this genus are easy to identify as members of it, because several species are highly variable and some species are very similar to others, to differentiate them is hard. The limits between each species not seem well established, with few exceptions, thus the concept of some species sometimes overlap others. Among all Heterotaxis species, H. equitans is a favorite of orchid collectors because it has visible and showy white and dark blue-purple flowers; and H. valenzuelana is sometimes collected due to the uniqueness of their fan shaped foliage.