Chiloschista

Chiloschista
Chiloschista trudelii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Epidendroideae
Tribe:	Vandeae
Subtribe:	Aeridinae
Genus:	Chiloschista Lindl.[1]
Type species
Chiloschista usneoides (D.Don) Lindl.[2]

Chiloschista, commonly known as starfish orchids[3] and abbreviated Chsch.,[4] is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia.

Description

Orchids in the genus Chiloschista are epiphytic or lithophytic, usually leafless monopodial herbs with flat, green, photosynthetic roots radiating from a short, central rhizome. The flowers are arranged on long, thin flowering stems, open sporadically in groups and only last for a few hours to one or two days. They are small and resupinate, with the sepals and petals more or less similar in size and shape to each other but different from the labellum which has three lobes. The side lobes of the labellum are erect and larger than the middle lobe which is slipper-shaped.[3][5][6]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Chiloschista was first described in 1832 by John Lindley in Edwards's Botanical Register.[1][7] The name Chiloschista is derived from the Ancient Greek words cheilos meaning "lip" or "rim"[8]: 486  and schistos meaning "split" or "divided".[8]: 684 

About 30 species of Chiloschista are accepted by Plants of the World Online as at December 2024:[9]

• Chiloschista bhutanensis Ghalley & Dalström
• Chiloschista confusa M.J.Matthew, J.Matthew, P.M.Salim & Szlach.
• Chiloschista densiflora Gyeltshen, C.Gyeltshen & Dalström
• Chiloschista extinctoriformis Seidenf.
• Chiloschista exuperei (Guillaumin) Garay
• Chiloschista fasciata (F.Muell.) Seidenf. & Ormerod
• Chiloschista gelephuensis C.Gyeltshen & Dalström
• Chiloschista glabrisepala Vuong, Aver. & V.S.Dang
• Chiloschista glandulosa Blatt. & McCann
• Chiloschista guangdongensis Z.H.Tsi
• Chiloschista himalaica Tobgay, C.Gyeltshen & Dalström
• Chiloschista javanica Schltr.
• Chiloschista lindstroemii Dalström & Kolan
• Chiloschista loheri Schltr.
• Chiloschista lunifera (Rchb.f.) J.J.Sm.
• Chiloschista parishii Seidenf.
• Chiloschista phyllorhiza (F.Muell.) Schltr. – white starfish orchid, (Australia)
• Chiloschista pulchella Aver. & K.S.Nguyen
• Chiloschista quangdangii Vuong & Aver.
• Chiloschista ramifera Seidenf.
• Chiloschista rodriguezii Cavestro & Ormerod
• Chiloschista segawae (Masam.) Masam. & Fukuy.
• Chiloschista shanica Wojtas, C.Bandara & Kumar
• Chiloschista sweelimii Holttum
• Chiloschista taeniophyllum (J.J.Sm.) Schltr.
• Chiloschista treubii (J.J.Sm.) Schltr.
• Chiloschista trudelii Seidenf.
• Chiloschista usneoides (D.Don) Lindl.
• Chiloschista viridiflava Seidenf.
• Chiloschista yunnanensis Schltr.

References

1. "Chiloschista". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
2. "Chiloschista". APNI. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
3. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. pp. 434–435. ISBN 1877069124.
4. "Alphabetical list of standard abbreviations of all generic names occurring in current use in orchid hybrid registration as at 31st December 2007" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society.
5. Chen, Xinqi; Wood, Jeffrey J. "Chiloschista". Flora of China. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
6. D.L.Jones; T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). "Chiloschista". Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids. Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
7. Lindley, John (1832). "Chiloschista". Edwards's Botanical Register. 18: t1522. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
8. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
9. "Chiloschista". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 16 December 2024.