Peristeria

Maxillarieae subtribe Stanhopeinae

Caespitose epiphytes and terrestrials. Pseudobulbs large, ovoid-globose. Leaves several, lanceolate, plicate, petiolate. Inflorescences few to many-flowered racemes, erect to laxly pendent, produced with the new growth, the floral bracts minute. Flowers globose, fleshy. Sepals subsimilar, variously fused at the base. Petals free. Lip complexly three-lobed, articulated to the column foot. Column arching, fleshy, stout, with a long fleshy foot; pollinia 2, oblanceolate, deeply sulcate, sessile on a common viscidium.

A genus of about 15 species from Panama to Peru.

1 Inflorescences elongate, +/- as long as the leaves, erect. P. elata 1' Inflorescences short, much shorter than the leaves, arching-pendent. 2 2(1') Lip with a finely toothed apical margin. P. guttata 2' Lip with an entire apical margin. 3 3(2') Lateral sepals fused for most of their length; flowers heavily spotted dark purple; apex of lip obovate. P. lindenii 3' Lateral sepals fused only at the base; flowers white with scattered purple spotting; apex of lip ovate. P. pendula

Hawkes, A. D. 1965. Die Gattung Peristeria. Die Orchidee 16:26-29.