Osmophores of Scaphosepalum (Orchidaceae)

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Abstract
Scaphosepalum Pfitz. (Orchidaceae) contains .apprx. 25 Neotropical species occurring epiphytically in montane cloud forest. Osmophores of the nonresupinate flowers occur as glandular pads on adaxial surfaces of lateral sepal apices, the dorsal sepal apex, or all 3, depending on the species. Dorsal sepals may be fleshy, terete, and functions as osmophores along their distal portions. In all species, only the epithelium and/or a few underlying layers have dense cytoplasm with large nuclei, numerous mitochondria, and unusually abundant cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum. Cells of other layers are highly vacuolate, or plastids may contain starch grains. Osmiophilic, lipophilic droplets of various sizes occur in many cells of both epidermal surfaces. On the basis of osmophore position and floral morphology, it is possible to speculate on the pollination process itself, which is as yet unknown for this genus.

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