Peristeria is a genus of plants of the family OrchidaceaePridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.C. & Rasmussen, F.N. (2009). Epidendroideae (Part two). Genera Orchidacearum 5: 1-585. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford. commonly called dove orchid or Holy Ghost orchid. In line with the common name, the genus' name is from the Greek word peristerion meaning "from dove". According to the Royal Horticultural Society, Per is the official orchid abbreviation for this genus. In nature, it is found across much of South America as well as in Panama, Costa Rica and Trinidad.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Peristeria elata is the national flower of Panama and is extremely over-collected in its native habitat. This over collection has led to its status as a species threatened with extinction delineated in Appendix I of CITES. In its native habitat, Peristeria can usually be found growing near the edge of hardwood forests. In the fall, after the trees in the hardwood forest lose their leaves, the plants are exposed to full sun throughout the cool, dry winter. Species in this genus are either epiphytic or terrestrial in growth habit. Species Image Scientific name Distribution Elevation (m) Peristeria aspersa Brazil (Amazonas), Venezuela, French Guiana Peristeria cerina Panama to Trinidad and Brazil (Pará) Peristeria cochlearis Colombia Peristeria elata Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panamá, Venezuela Peristeria ephippium Colombia to Venezuela (Amazonas) Peristeria esperanzae Colombia. Peristeria guttata Bolivia, Brazil North, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela Peristeria leucoxantha Colombia (Cauca), Ecuador Peristeria lindenii Ecuador to Peru Peristeria oscarii-rodrigoi Guatemala. Peristeria pendula Brazil (Amazonas, Pará), Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panamá, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela Peristeria selligera Guyana Peristeria serroniana Brazil (Pará)
References
Missouri Botanical Garden w3 TROPICOS Peristeria in World Checklist of Orchidaceae. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
External links
Royal Horticultural Society: Registration of Orchids