Cryptostylis
The genus Cryptostylis is from the orchidoideae subfamily of Orchidaceae. It was first defined by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown in 1810. The type species has since been designated as Cryptostylis erecta. Molecular study of their DNA shows the genus lies within the tribe Diurideae within the orchid family, having previously considered part of the Cranichideae. Together with the genus Coilochilus they make up the subtribe Cryptostylidinae.
The genus comprises around twenty five species of terrestrial orchid distributed from southern Asia (specifically India and Sri Lanka) Thailand, Malaysia down through Indonesia and into Australia and New Zealand, as well as Samoa, New Caledonia, Vanauatu, the Philippines and Taiwan. three species are found in the Philippines.
These orchids are single stemmed, either leafless or with one or more large leaves arising from the base of the stalk. The leaf undersides are often purple-hued, coloured with anthocyanin pigments. The flowers occur on racemes, with several found on one flower spike. The roots are rhizomatous, but lack any tuberous structures
The genus comprises around twenty five species of terrestrial orchid distributed from southern Asia (specifically India and Sri Lanka) Thailand, Malaysia down through Indonesia and into Australia and New Zealand, as well as Samoa, New Caledonia, Vanauatu, the Philippines and Taiwan. three species are found in the Philippines.
These orchids are single stemmed, either leafless or with one or more large leaves arising from the base of the stalk. The leaf undersides are often purple-hued, coloured with anthocyanin pigments. The flowers occur on racemes, with several found on one flower spike. The roots are rhizomatous, but lack any tuberous structures
FROM FLORA OF CHINAHerbs, terrestrial. Rhizome horizontal or ascending, short, densely noded, producing aerial shoots from apical nodes; roots fasciculate, long, fleshy.
Leaves basal, elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, base long attenuate into erect petiole-like stalks, with or without loosely sheathing cataphylls at base. Inflorescence erect or ascending, terminal, racemose, several flowered, with sheathing cataphylls at base and scattered sterile bracts along peduncle; floral bracts sheathing. Flowers not resupinate; pedicel and ovary erect, arcuate. Sepals and petals subsimilar, free, spreading, very narrow, margin often involute. Petals often slightly shorter and smaller than sepals; lip attached to base of column, entire, tapering toward apex, basally expanded and embracing column, spurless; disk usually with longitudinal ridges or elongate calli. Column short, with lateral wings; anther terminal, erect, 4-locular; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs, clavate, granular-farinaceous, attached to solitary viscidium; stigma entire, convex, fleshy; rostellum erect, broad and stout. About 20 species: mainly in tropical Asia, from India and Sri Lanka to the Philippines, Australia, and the Pacific islands; two species in China. |
Species
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