Next Genus: Genus Cystorchis


Genus Cyrtosia

Genus Cyrtosia

Cyrtosia Blume, Bijdr. (1825) 396

Synonyms:

  • Genus Conchoglossum Breda, Gen. Sp. Orchid. Asclep. fasc. 4 (1830) s.n.

Small leafless and stemless sympodial terrestrial plants with underground rhizome. Inflorescence usually a panicle. Flowers small, not resupinate, yellowish. Sepals free, outside with mealy surface. Petals free, about as long as the dorsal sepal, but lacking the characteristic indumentum. Lip without spur, not mobile. Column-foot absent. Pollinia united into a soft mealy mass, caudicles, stipe, or viscidium absent. Fruit fleshy, not opening when ripe.

Species present in New Guinea:

Cyrtosia javanica


Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea. About 5 species; in New Guinea one, non-endemic, species [probably Cyrtosia javanica Blume].

Terrestrial in montane forest.

  • Subfamily Vanilloideae
  • Tribe Vanillineae
  • Genus Cyrtosia
  • Garay, L.A. 1986. Olim Vanillaceae. Bot.Mus.Leafl. 30: 223-237.
  • Stern, W.L.and W.S. Judd, W.S. 2000. Comparative anatomy and systematics of the orchid tribe Vanilleae excluding Vanilla. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 134:179-202.

Among the leafless terrestrial orchids Cyrtosia may be recognised by its erect, usually branching inflorescences in combination with the mealy outer surface of the sepals. The fleshy, non-dehiscent, banana-shaped fruits are also characteristic. It is not in cultivation


Sponsored Ads

Genus Cyrtosia

Cyrtosia javanica Blume, drawing N.H.S. Howcroft 132, from Missima, Wau