Hymenorchis
FROM Taiwania, 57(4): 372–376, 2012
Hymenorchis Schltr. is small orchid genus which belongs to subtrib. Aeridinae Pfitz. (Trib.
Vandeae Lindl., Subfam. Vandoideae Endl.). Most probably it has closest relation to such genera as Ceratocentron Senghas and Ceratochilus Blume (Schuiteman, de Vogel, 2009). The center of the genus diversity is certainly New Guinea, from where Rudolf Schlechter reported 6 species when he first described the genus (Schlechter, 1913). Two Hymenorchis species were added to New Guinea orchid flora later, one more species was found in the Philippines, one in New Caledonia, and last species hitherto recorded till now was reported as rare endemic of western Java (Comber, 1990; Schuiteman and de Vogel, 2009). Being into consideration these very disjunctive records it may be expected much broader distribution of the genus in tropical Asia, at least in Malay Archipelago. Meanwhile, all species of the genus are very small twig epiphytes that commonly inhabit canopies of tallest trees in primary forests. Such canopy epiphytes growing in terminal canopy zone very difficult for collecting, observation and study. As a result they are easily overlooked in botanical surveys, why their distribution remains insufficiently studied. Discovery of species reported and described below represents first record of the genus in mainland Asia that dramatically expands known area of its distribution |
For a full list of all species from this genus, click here.