User:Chernes132/Hexalectris nitida

Hexalectris nitida
Hexalectris nitida, is commonly known as the Glass Mountain Coral-Root, Shining Crested Coral Root, or the Shining Cock's Comb. H.nitida is a fully myco-heterotrophic,  terrestrial orchid native to New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico

Description
Hexalectris nitida grows between 13 to 20 cm tall. It is leafless and has spicate with bracts along the stem. They grow from a thick rhizome below ground. They have 12-20 rose-brown to tan waxy flowers that have white and purple on the lip and faint parallel veining on petals. On average the flowers are 1.2 by 1.2 cm big and have spreading petals. This species has a lip length of less 1 cm, which separates it's appearance from other members of the Hexalectris genus which have lip lengths greater than 1 cm. They bloom from late June to the beginning of August.

H. nitida can be identified from other members of the genus Hexalectris because this species has a lip length of less 1 cm, which separates it's appearance from other members of the genus which have lip lengths greater than 1 cm. The rose-brown flowers of H. nitida make it identifiable from the reddish purple flowers of H. warnockii.

Taxonomy
Hexalectris nitidia was first decribed by L.O Williams in 1944, and this is the currently excepted scientific name for the species. Hexalectris is derived from two Greek words meaning "six" and "cock", because the lips resemble a rooster's comb. Nitida is derived from the Latin word for "shiny" because of the appearance of their waxy petals. They have varying, but accepted common names that are the Glass Mountain Coral- Root, Shining Crested Coral Root, and the Shining Cock's Comb.

Distribution an Habitat
Hexalectris nitida is distributed from southern New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. In New Mexico, this species occurs in Otero and Eddy counties and in the Guadalupe and Cornudas moutains. This species occurs in central to southwestern Texas, from Brewster county to Dallas. H. nitida is widespread across Mexico and continues as far south as the state of Oaxaca.

H. nitida grows in canyon bottoms and sides, typically on slopes that have 8 to 20% incline. The elevation where this species is found is 4000 to 5000ft. This species is found in loamy skeletal and thermic soils with a moderate canopy cover of 40 to 60%.

Ecology
Hexalectris nitida is typically associated with various juniper and oak species. These two groups are crucial for H. nitida because they not only provide a proper microenvironment and cover, but also their fungal symbiont feeds on the decaying matter. They are also typically found in habitat that have an understory of cacti, agave, and yucca.

H. nitida has narrow group of fungi that it associates with, and those are the basidiomycetes of Sebacinaceae. Due to several adaptations for self-fertilization they have a tight relationship to their associated mycorrhizal fungi.

Conservation
Hexalectris nitida is highly uncommon across is distribution and has very few occurrences in New Mexico. The Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of New Mexico listed H. nitida as List 1. They have a ranking of critically endangered in the state of New Mexico and globally. Listing is attributed to lack of species representation and overall very rare occurrence.