Acostaea Schltr. is a genus of in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) comprised of four species native to Central and South America, the most common of which is A. costaricensis. The species are all very small, with the lateral sepals of the flower fused into a synsepal. The lip responds to touch by snapping upward against the column, which serves to trap an insect temporarily and force it to pollinate the flower. All species have two pollinia.
Species
- Acostaea campylotyle
- Acostaea costaricensis Schltr. (Costa Rica to Ecuador)
- Acostaea costaricensis subsp. bicornis
- Acostaea costaricensis subsp. unicornis
- Acostaea costaricensis subsp. colombiana
- Ascostaea tenax
- Acostaea trilobata
References
Pridgeon, Alec, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 1999
