Cephalanthera | |
---|---|
Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia) |
|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
Tribe: | Neottieae |
Subtribe: | Limodorinae |
Genus: |
Cephalanthera Rich. |
Type species | |
Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce |
|
Synonyms | |
|
Cephalanthera, abbreviated Ceph in horticultural trade, is a genus of mostly terrestrial orchids. Members of this genus have rhizomes rather than tubers. About 15 species are currently recognized, most of the native to Europe and Asia. The only species found in the wild in North America is the Phantom Orchid or Snow Orchid C. austiniae. Ecologically, this species is partially myco-heterotrophic. Some of the Eurasian species hybridise.
Several of the European species have common names including the word "helleborine", but this name does not correspond to any modern taxon, and orchids in other genera are also called helleborines. In addition to those listed here, very large numbers of other specific names will be found in the older literature, but these are almost all synonyms for the best known species such as C. longifolia or C. damasonium, the European White Helleborine.
Species accepted as of May 2014: