Orchid Information - Genus Cheirostylis

Cheirostylis Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 413

Synonyms:

• Genus Arisanorchis Hayata, Icon. Pl. Formos. 4 (1914) 109
• Genus Mariarisqueta Guinea, Ensayo Geobot. (1946) 268

Sympodial epiphytic or terrestrial plants. Stem elongated, basal part creeping, often very succulent and swollen, forming a rhizome, apical part erect, usually rather short. Leaves few, distributed along the stem or crowded at its apex, sheathing at the base, glabrous, persistent, convolute, herbaceous. Inflorescence terminal, a few-flowered raceme. Ovary obovate, distinctly stalked. Flowers small, resupinate, usually with a white lip. All three sepals connate at the base for 1/2 to 2/3 of their length. Petals free, about as long as the dorsal sepal, usually cohering at the apices. Lip without spur, not mobile, in the saccate basal part on either side with a few slender papillae, usually fan-like dilated and bilobed in front, often with coarse teeth along the margin. Column with two thin, narrow appendages near the apex. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, sectile, caudicles present, stipe present, viscidium present. Stigma with 2 clearly separated lobes.

Species present in New Guinea:

Cheirostylis dendrophila
Cheirostylis dendrophila var. lancilabris
Cheirostylis grandiflora

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