Scientific name Psychopsis Rank Genus | Alliance Trichophilia Higher classification Oncidiinae | |
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Similar Orchids, Dancing‑lady Orchid, Brassia, Trichopilia, Miltonia | ||
Unboxing a second psychopsis orchid replacement plant
Psychopsis, abbreviated Psychp in horticultural trade, is a genus of 5 known species of orchids native to northern South America, Central America and Trinidad. It was formerly included in the massively paraphyletic "wastebin genus" Oncidium. The genus as a whole is commonly called butterfly orchids, but some species of other orchid genera are also called thus.
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Psychopsis very often grows on the trunks and branches of trees. The flowers look like large butterflies with brightly colored bodies (the lip, a modified petal), very long antennae-like petals, and outspread wing-like dappled yellow and brown sepals.
The butterfly orchid is rumored to have started the European "Orchidmania" of the 19th century.
Species currently accepted as of June 2014:
- Psychopsis krameriana (Rchb.f.) H.G.Jones - Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Suriname
- Psychopsis limminghei (E.Morren ex Lindl.) M.W.Chase - Brazil, Venezuela
- Psychopsis papilio (Lindl.) H.G.Jones - Panama, Trinidad, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil
- Psychopsis sanderae (Rolfe) Lückel & Braem - Peru, Brazil
- Psychopsis versteegiana (Pulle) Lückel & Braem - Suriname, Ecuador
Psychopsis plants update and blooms
