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Bifrenaria, abbreviated Bif. in horticultural trade, is a genus of plants in family Orchidaceae. It contains 20 species found in Panama, Trinidad and South America. There are no known uses for them, but their abundant, and at first glance artificial, flowers, make them favorites of orchid growers.
The genus can be split in two clearly distinct groups: one of highly robust plants with large flowers, that encompass the first species to be classified under the genus Bifrenaria; other of more delicate plants with smaller flowers occasionally classified as Stenocoryne or Adipe. There are two additional species that are normally classified as Bifrenaria, but which molecular analysis indicate to belong to different orchid groups entirely.
Bifrenaria are comparatively easy to grow orchids. They should be preferably potted on well drained vegetable fiber because their roots and pseudobulbs rot easily when kept humid for long periods. One of three different environments is needed depending on the species' origin to successfully grow these plants. The larger species need more light than the others. The smaller species from Southeast Brazil may be cultivated at the same medium temperature but under less than 10-20% luminosity. Bifrenaria from the Amazon Forest require higher and more constant temperature and humidity than other species. All species need most water and fertilizer during their active growth season.
Bifrenaria exist from the north of South America, one species reaching Trinidad, until Rio Grande do Sul, the farther south State in Brazil, however they are split in two isolated areas: Amazon Forest and Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The later, where seventeen species are present, may be considered their recente center of distribution. The montane area of Rio de Janeiro State and Espírito Santo is particularly rich with fifteen species registered. Serra dos Órgãos mountains area, in Rio, is reported as habitat of fourteen Bifrenaria species, however, some of these species are considered synonyms today, being eleven a more realistic number of species existing in the said area.
Bifrenaria atropurpurea · Bifrenaria aureofulva · Bifrenaria calcarata · Bifrenaria charlesworthii · Bifrenaria clavigera · Bifrenaria grandis · Orchid · Bifrenaria inodora · Bifrenaria leucorhoda · Bifrenaria longicornis · Bifrenaria mellicolor · Bifrenaria racemosa
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Bifrenaria by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
