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Pteroceras

Pteroceras Hasskarl

An Indo -Malesian genus of 19 species (Pedersen, 1993) of epiphytic orchids, Pteroceras is represented in India by five species . Only one species occurs in Kerala .

1. Pteroceras leopardinum (Par. & Rchb.f.) Seidenf. & Smitin., Orch. Thail . IV.: 535.F. 395 . 1963; Seidenfaden 988: 256 . Fig. 162 . Pl. xxviii d; pedersen 1993 : 40.

Thrixspermum leopardinum par & Rchb.f. , Trans . Linn. Soc. London xxx.: 145. 1874.

Sarcochilus leopardinus (Par . & Rchb.f. ) J.D. Hook ., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6 : 38 . 1890.

Proteroceras holttumii Joseph & Vajravelu , J. Ind. Bot. Soc. 53: 189 . Fig . 1-6 . 1974; Henry et al. 1979: 696; Rathakrishnan & Chithra 1984 :1005 ; Kumar & Sasidharan 1986 : 267.

Joseph& Vajravelu (1974 ) wrongly believed the collection by Lakshmanan from Vellingiri Hills,Tamil Nadu to represent a new genus which they called Proteroceras , evidently indicating its affinity with pteroceras. But it is identical with Pteroceras leopardinum , a view shared by Pedersen (1993) .

Occurrence : Trivandrum , Palghat and Wayanad Districts.

Distribution : Indo-Malesia .


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