Eulophia graminea

Eulophia graminea Lindl.

Common Names: Chinese Crown Orchid

Family: Orchidaceae

Habit: Eulophia graminea grow terrestrially in leaf detritus and soil.  It produces a round pseudobulbs up to 10 cm in length. From the top of the pseudobulb thin, flattened linear leaves emerge that are up to 25 centimeters in length.  The pseudobulb is typically at ground level with the upper half exposed.

The complete, perfect, zygomorphic flowers are arranged in terminal racemes up to 75 cm in height and contain 10-15 flowers. The flowers have bracts and the calyx has 3 greenish with noticeable venation sepals. The corolla has 2 petals with one forming the labellum.  2 petals are greenish and the labellum is three lobed and pink-white with pubescence. Two lobes of the labellum wrap around the greenish column. The column is formed from a fusion of the stamens and ovary into a single structure. The ovary is inferior.  The fruit is a capsule at maturity up to 4 cm in length.

Habitat: Eulophia graminea occurs in Human Altered environments (yards, lawns, landscaped areas). It also now occurs in Pine Woodlands and in the understory of Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations – Forests (coppice).

Distribution: Eulophia graminea is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago.  It is native to Asia and the Indian subcontinent.  It was first observed in 2007 in Florida and is now an invasive species moving in turf and wood chip in the Lucayan Archipelago.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: While there are no medicinal uses of Eulophia graminea like all orchids they are prized for their beautiful flowers.