Arachnis (plant)

Genus of orchids

Arachnis

Inflorescence detail of Arachnis longisepala
Flowering Arachnis labrosa specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Plantae
Clade:  | Tracheophytes
Clade:  | Angiosperms
Clade:  | Monocots
Order:  | Asparagales
Family:  | Orchidaceae
Subfamily:  | Epidendroideae
Tribe:  | Vandeae
Subtribe:  | Aeridinae
Genus:  | Arachnis
Blume
Type species
Arachnis flos-aeris

(L.) Rchb.f.

Synonyms[1]

* Arachnanthe Blume
* Arhynchium Lindl.
* Armodorum Breda
* Esmeralda Rchb.f.

The genus Arachnis, abbreviated as Arach in horticultural trade, (common name scorpion orchid,[2][3]) is a member of the orchid family (Orchidaceae), consisting of more than 20 species native to China, India, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.[4][5]

## Description

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### Vegetative characteristics

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The appearance of the monopodial, epiphytic herbs of the genus Arachnis is characterized by distichously arranged, linear leaves.[6] The vining plants may grow into a dense thicket.[7] Arachnis does not produce pseudobulbs.[8]

### Generative characteristics

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The flowers are thought to resemble spiders,[8] and they are fragrant.[6][8] The fragrance has been described as musky.[8]

* Arachnis labrosa growing epiphytically on a tree

* Detail of Arachnis labrosa flower

* Botanical illustration of Arachnis clarkei

* Detail of Arachnis cathcartii flower

* Detail of Arachnis flos-aeris flower

* Botanical illustration of Arachnis annamensis

## Etymology

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The generic epithet Arachnis is derived from the Greek word arachne for spider.[9]

## Ecology

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### Habitat

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Arachnis senapatiana has been found growing in subtropical broad-leaved forests at elevations of 1747 m above sea level.[6]

### Flowering

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Arachnis senapatiana is known to flower in June.[6]

## Taxonomy

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### Accepted species

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There are currently 16 accepted species, including one natural hybrid:[1]

* Arachnis annamensis (Rolfe) J.J.Sm.
* Arachnis bella (Rchb.f.) J.J.Sm.
* Arachnis bouffordii Ormerod
* Arachnis calcarata Holttum
* Arachnis cathcartii (Lindl.) J.J.Sm.
* Arachnis clarkei (Rchb.f.) J.J.Sm.
* Arachnis flos-aeris (L.) Rchb.f.
* Arachnis grandisepala J.J.Wood
* Arachnis hookeriana (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f.
* Arachnis labrosa (Lindl. & Paxton) Rchb.f.
* Arachnis limax Seidenf.
* Arachnis longisepala (J.J.Wood) Shim & A.Lamb
* Arachnis × maingayi (Hook.f.) Schltr.
* Arachnis senapatiana (Phukan & A.A.Mao) Kocyan & Schuit.
* Arachnis seramensis (Ormerod) R.Rice
* Arachnis siamensis (Schltr.) Tang & F.T.Wang
* Arachnis sulingi (Blume) Rchb.f.

### Species formerly placed in Arachnis

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* Arachnis beccarii Rchb.f. is now considered to be Dimorphorchis beccarii (Rchb.f.) Kocyan & Schuit.[10]
* Arachnis breviscapa (J.J.Sm.) J.J.Sm. is now considered to be Dimorphorchis breviscapa (J.J.Sm.) Kocyan & Schuit.[11]
* Arachnis celebica (Schltr.) J.J.Sm. is now considered to be Dimorphorchis celebica (Schltr.) Ormerod[12]
* Arachnis imthurnii (Rolfe) L.O.Williams is now considered to be Dimorphorchis beccarii var. imthurnii (Rolfe) Kocyan & Schuit.[13]
* Arachnis longicaulis (Schltr.) L.O.Williams is now considered to be Dimorphorchis breviscapa (J.J.Sm.) Kocyan & Schuit.[11]
* Arachnis lowii (Lindl.) Rchb.f. is now considered to be Dimorphorchis lowii (Lindl.) Rolfe[14]
* Arachnis lyonii Ames is now considered to be Dimorphorchis lyonii (Ames) Ormerod[15]
* Arachnis muelleri (Kraenzl.) J.J.Sm. is now considered to be Dimorphorchis beccarii var. beccarii[16]
* Arachnis philippinensis (Lindl.) Ames is now considered to be Trichoglottis philippinensis Lindl.[17]
* Arachnis rohaniana (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f. is now considered to be Dimorphorchis rohaniana (Rchb.f.) P.J.Cribb[18]
* Arachnis beccarii var. imthurnii (Rolfe) K.W.Tan is now considered to be Dimorphorchis beccarii var. imthurnii (Rolfe) Kocyan & Schuit.[19]
* Arachnis longicaulis f. flavescens Valmayor & D.Tiu is now considered to be Dimorphorchis breviscapa (J.J.Sm.) Kocyan & Schuit.[11]

## Conservation

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Arachnis has become extinct in Nansei-shoto.[1]

## Horticulture

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It can be cultivated under warm and moist conditions growing in pots, baskets, or mounted on slabs.[7]

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Arachnis Blume". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
2. ^ Beard, James Daniel (2015). "A Translator's Vietnamese English Dictionary of Plant Names" (PDF). monash.edu.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
3. ^ Yearron, Sydney H. "Scientific or Latin Names to English Common Name" (PDF). The Canadian Orchid Congress. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
4. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
5. ^ Flora of China, v25 p 465, 蜘蛛兰属 zhi zhu lan shu, Arachnis
6. ^ a b c d Jakha, H. Y., Deb, C. R., Dey, S., & Jamir, N. S. (2014). "Arachnis senapatiana (Phukan & AA Mao) Kocyan & Schuiteman (Orchidaceae): an addition to the flora of Nagaland, India." Pleione, 8(2), 516-518.
7. ^ a b Rach, N. (n.d.). Arachnis  Blume 1825. American Orchid Society. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://www.aos.org/orchids/orchids-a-to-z/letter-a/arachnis.aspx
8. ^ a b c d Tan, K. W. (1974). "Taxonomy of Arachnis, Armodorum, Esmeralda and Dimorphorchis (Orchidaceae)." University of Miami.
9. ^ Teoh, E.S. (2021). Arachnis Bl.. In: Orchid Species from Himalaya and Southeast Asia Vol. 1 (A - E). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58872-4_15
10. ^ "Dimorphorchis beccarii (Rchb.f.) Kocyan & Schuit". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
11. ^ a b c "Dimorphorchis breviscapa (J.J.Sm.) Kocyan & Schuit". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
12. ^ "Dimorphorchis celebica (Schltr.) Ormerod". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
13. ^ "Dimorphorchis beccarii var. imthurnii (Rolfe) Kocyan & Schuit". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
14. ^ "Dimorphorchis lowii (Lindl.) Rolfe". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
15. ^ "Dimorphorchis lyonii (Ames) Ormerod". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
16. ^ "Dimorphorchis beccarii var. beccarii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
17. ^ "Trichoglottis philippinensis Lindl". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
18. ^ "Dimorphorchis rohaniana (Rchb.f.) P.J.Cribb". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
19. ^ "Dimorphorchis beccarii var. imthurnii (Rolfe) Kocyan & Schuit". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

## External links

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* Media related to Arachnis (Orchidaceae) at Wikimedia Commons
* Data related to Arachnis at Wikispecies

Taxon identifiers

Arachnis|

* Wikidata: Q133781
* Wikispecies: Arachnis (Orchidaceae)
* CoL: 8VV5N
* EoL: 29515
* EPPO: 1AHIG
* FoC: 102403
* GBIF: 2811304
* GRIN: 891
* iNaturalist: 428232
* IPNI: 28745-1
* IRMNG: 1296701
* ITIS: 937053
* NCBI: 331164
* Open Tree of Life: 662967
* POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:325887-2
* Tropicos: 40018352
* WFO: wfo-4000002823

Esmeralda|

* Wikidata: Q1301809
* FoC: 112207
* GBIF: 2781977
* GRIN: 4462
* iNaturalist: 546753
* IPNI: 29454-1
* IRMNG: 1340451
* NCBI: 338988
* Open Tree of Life: 839337
* POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:29454-1
* Tropicos: 40006251
* WFO: wfo-4000014042