Barkeria obovata
Cristóbal Sánchez and Jesús Ángel Barajas
The genus Barkeria comprises at least 17 species, of which 15 are found in Mexico, and 7 occur within our botanical garden and its surrounding areas. This month, we present a particularly small orchid from this group: Barkeria obovata. The name Barkeria honors the English lawyer, philanthropist, and botanist George Barker (1776–1845), a collector and trader of exotic plants, while obovata comes from Latin and means “egg-shaped,” referring to the shape of the flower’s labellum.
This orchid lacks a rostellum, a structure that normally separates the pollinia from the stigma, allowing direct contact before the flower bud fully opens. This characteristic promotes self-pollination in many populations of this species and may represent an evolutionary advantage that facilitates establishment in new habitats under conditions of isolation or environmental change.
Barkeria obovata blooms from December to February and grows on trees such as “tintilagua” (Clusia salvinii) and “yellow oak” (Quercus magnoliifolia), both present in our botanical garden. It is not listed under any risk category in NOM-059-SEMARNAT nor on the IUCN Red List; however, it is a rare species included in Appendix II of CITES.
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