''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of usually leafless,

epiphytic An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphyt ...

lithophytic Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic (or epipetric) or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks (and are also ...

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...

s found in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Description

Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are epiphytic or lithophytic, usually leafless

monopodial Vascular plants with monopodial growth habits grow upward from a single point. They add leaves to the apex each year and the stem grows longer accordingly. The word ''Monopodial'' is derived from Greek language, Greek '', ''one'' and '', "foot", in ...

herbs Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnish (food), garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typi ...

with flat, green,

photosynthetic Photosynthesis ( ) is a Biological system, system of biological processes by which Photoautotrophism, photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical ener ...

roots radiating from a short, central

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

. 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

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s and

petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...

s 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.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Chiloschista'' was first described in 1832 by

John Lindley John Lindley Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidology, orchidologist. Early years Born in Old Catton, Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four c ...

in ''

Edwards's Botanical Register ''The Botanical Register'', subsequently known as ''Edwards's Botanical Register'', was an illustrated horticultural magazine that ran from 1815 to 1847. It was started by the botanical illustrator Sydenham Edwards, who had previously illustrat ...

''. The name ''Chiloschista'' is derived from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

words meaning "lip" or "rim" and meaning "split" or "divided". About 30 species of ''Chiloschista'' are accepted by

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

as at December 2024: * ''

Chiloschista bhutanensis ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Ghalley & Dalström * ''

Chiloschista confusa ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' M.J.Matthew, J.Matthew, P.M.Salim & Szlach. * ''

Chiloschista densiflora ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Gyeltshen, C.Gyeltshen & Dalström * ''

Chiloschista extinctoriformis ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Seidenf. * ''

Chiloschista exuperei ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' (Guillaumin) Garay * ''

Chiloschista fasciata ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' (F.Muell.) Seidenf. & Ormerod * ''

Chiloschista gelephuensis ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' C.Gyeltshen & Dalström * ''

Chiloschista glabrisepala ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Vuong, Aver. & V.S.Dang * '' Chiloschista glandulosa'' Blatt. & McCann * '' Chiloschista guangdongensis'' Z.H.Tsi * ''

Chiloschista himalaica ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Tobgay, C.Gyeltshen & Dalström * ''

Chiloschista javanica ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Schltr. * ''

Chiloschista lindstroemii ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' 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 ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, Epiphyte, epiphytic or Lithophyte, lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genu ...

'' Aver. & K.S.Nguyen * ''

Chiloschista quangdangii ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Vuong & Aver. * '' Chiloschista ramifera'' Seidenf. * '' Chiloschista rodriguezii'' Cavestro & Ormerod * '' Chiloschista segawae'' (Masam.) Masam. & Fukuy. * ''

Chiloschista shanica ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, epiphytic or lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genus ''Chiloschista'' are ...

'' Wojtas, C.Bandara & Kumar * '' Chiloschista sweelimii'' Holttum * '' Chiloschista taeniophyllum'' (J.J.Sm.) Schltr. * '' Chiloschista treubii'' (J.J.Sm.) Schltr. * ''

Chiloschista trudelii ''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless, Epiphyte, epiphytic or Lithophyte, lithophytic orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and Australia. Description Orchids in the genu ...

'' Seidenf. * '' Chiloschista usneoides'' (D.Don) Lindl. * '' Chiloschista viridiflava'' Seidenf. * '' Chiloschista yunnanensis'' Schltr.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2248680 Vandeae genera