ORCHIDACEAE
Cheirostylis Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 413 (1825).
Arisanorchis Hayata; Gymnochilus Blume; Mariarisqueta Guinea.
By: Bhakta B. Raskoti
Taxon Description
Terrestrial herbs. Rhizome prostrate, beaded to terete, fleshy; roots hair-like. Stem erect, glabrous, with up to 3-leaved. Leaves withered at anthesis, ovate, base petiole-like dilating into amplexicaul sheath. Inflorescence erect, racemose, 1–3-flowered, pubescent. Flowers resupinate; ovary twisted, fusiform, pubescent. Sepals connate for half to almost entire length and forming a tube. Petals connivent with dorsal sepal. Lip adnate to column margin at base, usually 3-partite; hypochile often dilated and saccate, with papillose calli; mesochile subtubular, short to elongate; epichile 2-lobed, margin laciniate. Column with 2 elongate armlike appendages; anther ovoid, 2-locular; pollinia 2, granular-farinaceous, clavate, viscidium solitary oblong; rostellum bifid; stigma 2 lobed, convex. Capsule ellipsoid.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 50 species distributed in Africa,Assam-Burma, Australasia, E Himalaya, E Asia, S Asia, SE Asia and W Himalaya. One species in Nepal.
1. Cheirostylis griffithii Lindl., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 1: 188 (1857).
Cheirostylis macrantha Schltr.
Plants 10–13 cm tall. Rhizome creeping, terete to beaded; roots hair-like. Stem erect, 3–5 cm, fleshy, 3-leaved. Leaves withered at anthesis, ovate, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm, apex acute; petiole-like base and sheath 0.5–1 cm. Inflorescence 4–6 cm, villous, with 2 or 3 sterile bracts; sterile bracts lanceolate, 8–10 × 1.5–2 mm; rachis 1–2 cm, 1–2-flowered. Floral bracts lanceolate, ca. 6–8 × 1 mm, often equal to ovary and pedicel, apex acuminate. Flowers white, ca. 15–20 cm long.Pedicel and ovary 5–9 mm, pubescent. Sepals 11–12 mm, basal portion connate and forming a tube, outer surface pubescent; apical portion subacute, spreading. Petals falcately oblong, 11–12 × 2 mm, apex obtuse. Lip 15–18 mm, 3-partite; hypochile slightly saccate,1.5–2 mm, containing 2 comb-like calli, each callus 8- or 9-toothed; mesochile 5–8 mm; epichile orbicular, 5–7 × 6–8 mm, base with 2 green spots, 2-lobed; lobes deeply laciniate with 8–10 divisions, ca. 1–3 mm. Column 2–3 mm.
Distribution:Nepal, Assam-Burma, E Himalaya, E Asia, S Asia, SE Asia and W Himalaya.
Altitudinal range: 1400–1600 m.
Ecology: Litter deposited forests and damp areas
Flowering: March–April. Fruiting: May–August.