User:Purbendra Yogi/Hexalectris arizonica

Hexalectris arizonica
Hexalectris arizonica is a terrestrial mycoheterotrophic (non-photosynthetic) species of the genus Hexalectris, which is distributed throughout western North America and Mexico. It is commonly known as crested coralroot, cock’s comb, dragon’s claw. It lacks chlorophyll and grows with fungi that are associated with the roots of other plants like oak and pinon. Since the majority of these species individuals are cleistogamous and have undergone a number of, presumably converging, morphological modifications that allow for self-pollination, H. arizonica exhibit the highest fidelity to their fungal partners.

Description
H. arizonica exists underground grows in small groups and only few plants emerging to flower and propagate. Flowering time is late July to late August, but flowers usually do not completely open. The flower size of this species is relatively small, and they are self-pollinating. The flowers with sepals, and petals are all reddish or rose, pinkish purple colored. The inflorescence is 20-23 cm long with lanceolate floral bracts of 3-12 mm in length. There is no rostellar flap at the base of the column separating the pollen masses from the stigmatic surface; the flowers are often closed, or petals and sepals are spreading but not revolute.

Taxonomy
The genus Hexalectris, which presumably forms a monophyletic group with 8 distinct species of orchids, includes H. arizonica as one of its members''. H. arizonica was first discovered in the Santa Rita Mountains but described as Corallorhiza arizonica. then H. spicata Later, Morphological and genetic research separated two varieties as distinct species, H. spicata var spicata, and H. spicata var arizonica and now called H. arizonica.''

Distribution and Habitat
H. arizonica is commonly found in the United States (US) and Mexico. Within the US, it can be found in the states of Arizona and New Mexico. In New Mexico, it grows in Sierra and Otero counties at elevations between 5400 and 6500 feet. In 2014 D. L. Taylor found this species on Faulty Trail, Sandia Wilderness, Cibola national forest, under a large piñon tree on a steep, dry, rocky hillside. In Arizona it has been reported from the Santa Rita, Dragon, Chiricahua, Huachuca, Patagonia, Peloncillo, and whetstone Mountains. These are estimated to be about 70 occurrences in total. H. arizonica occurs within heavy leaf litter in oak woodlands, and on the wooded sides of canyons/canyon bottoms, as well as in mixed oak and conifer montane forests. . It is sometimes associated with the presence of limestone.

Ecology
The phylogenetic study showed that this species is associated with ectomycorrhizal species of Sebacinaceae. This species occasionally associates with Thelephoraceae family members. H. arizonica is moderately threatened, with the most impact occurring from grazing and management of forests, loss of habitat from residential, tourism, and recreation-related development, and mining operations.