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shown at left...

Cyrtopodium x intermedium
'Everglades Skyrocket' CHM/AOS

Cyrtopodium is a genus of forty-eight* species and one natural hybrid that can be found from Florida to Argentina with the bulk of species being found in Brazil. Plants typically have tapered, cigar-shaped pseudobulbs than in some species can attain baseball bat size. The dried protective sheaths are tipped with sharp spines, presumably to protect herbivores from eating the plants. While cyrtopodiums can be found growing epiphytically in trees, they are also quite at home growing terrestrially on the savanna. The genus' single natural hybrid between Cyrt. gigas and Cyrt. glutineferum is pictured here. It is from Minas Gerais in Brazil where it grows as a large terrestrial in savanna grasses. Click through to see inflorescence and flower closeups. Grown and exhibited by Milton Carpenter, Everglades Orchids. Note: all AOS awards are provisional until publiched in OrchidsPlus.

* _{World Checklist of Monocots}