Dracula (plant)
The orchid genus Dracula, abbreviated as Drac in horticultural trade, consists of 118 species native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The name Dracula literally means "little dragon", an allusion to the mythical Count Dracula, a lead character in numerous vampire novels and films. The name was applied to the orchid because of the blood-red color of several of the species, and the strange aspect of the long spurs of the sepals. The plants were once included in the genus Masdevallia, but became a separate genus in 1978. This genus has been placed in the subtribe Pleurothallidinae. Description They are epiphytic and terrestrial species distributed in Central America and the northwest Andes. Almost half the species are found in Ecuador. They prefer shade and rather cool temperatures. These caespitose orchids grow in tufts from a short rhizome, with a dense pack of stems. They lack pseudobulbs. On each stem grows one large, thin, plicate leaf with a sharply defined midrib. These glabrous, light to dark green leaves may be spongy, taking over the function of the missing pseudobulb. They are tipped with a mucro (a short tip). The flower stalks grow either horizontally from the base of the plant or descend, often for great distances. A few species grow upright flower stalks. The long-tailed terminal flowers are basically triangular. The flowers are borne singly or successively. Three species (sodiroi, decussata/neisseniae, and papillosa) may have up to three simultaneously open flowers on a single stalk. In general, though, if there is more than one flower bud on the raceme, they open up with long intervals. These flowers have a weird aspect, due to the long tails on each sepal. The petals are small and somewhat thickened. Quite commonly, various species of Dracula are known for blooms resembling the faces of primates, a notable example being Dracula simia. However, this likeness to monkeys’ faces seems to be purely a natural coincidence to the primates living in the same forests. In fact, these flowers are pollinated by the common fungus gnat; the bloom’s lip is often quite large (for a Pleurothallid), and from the fungus gnat’s perspective, resembles an irresistible mushroom or fungus. Research by biologists at the University of Oregon indicates that D. lafleurii also possesses a uniquely volatile chemistry, similar to localized species of mushrooms. This mimicry attracts mushroom-associated flies which play a role in pollination. The basal part of the lip (hypochile) is cleft. The terminal part (epichile) is rounded and concave. The margins of the perianth are often fringed. There is a well-developed column with two pollinia. Taxonomy The species of Dracula have tentatively been divided into three subgenera, with sections and subsections within one of the subgenera. Subgenus Dracula : This subgenus contains all the species of the genus except two exceptional species (D. sodiroi and D. xenos) Section Andreettaea : Monotypic: Dracula andreettae Section Chestertonia : two species: Dracula chestertonii, D. cutis-bufonis Section Cochliopsia : Monotypic: Dracula cochliops Section Dodsonia : Four species: Dracula dodsonii,