''Chiloschista'', commonly known as starfish orchids and abbreviated ''Chsch.'', is a genus of usually leafless,

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a 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 epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

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 als ...

orchids found in India, Southeast Asia and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Description

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

herbs In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

with flat, green,

photosynthetic Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored in c ...

roots radiating from a short, central

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

. 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 Resupination is derived from the Latin word ''resupinus'', meaning "bent back with the face upward" or "on the back". "Resupination" is the noun form of the adjective "resupine" which means "being upside-down, supine or facing upward". The word " ...

, with the sepals and

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

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 FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...

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 illustrate ...

''. The name ''Chiloschista'' is derived from the Ancient Greek words meaning "lip" or "rim" and meaning "split" or "divided". Twenty species of ''Chiloschista'' are recognised by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at December 2018: * ''

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., Opera Bot. 95: 178 (1988) * ''

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, Bot. Mus. Leafl. 23: 166 (1972) * ''

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, Opera Bot. 124: 64 (1995) * ''

Chiloschista glandulosa ''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 ...

'' Blatt. & McCann, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 35: 488 (1932) * ''

Chiloschista godefroyana ''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 ...

'' (Rchb.f.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 4: 275 (1919) * ''

Chiloschista guangdongensis ''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 ...

'' Z.H.Tsi, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 22: 481 (1984) * ''

Chiloschista loheri ''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., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 56: 491 (1921) * ''

Chiloschista lunifera ''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 ...

'' (Rchb.f.) J.J.Sm., Orch. Java: 553 (1905) * ''

Chiloschista parishii ''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., Opera Bot. 95: 176 (1988) * '' Chiloschista phyllorhiza'' (F.Muell.) Schltr. – white starfish orchid,

* '' Chiloschista ramifera'' Seidenf., Opera Bot. 95: 179 (1988) * '' Chiloschista rodriguezii'' Cavestro & Ormerod, Orchidophile (Asnières) 166: 180 (2005) * '' Chiloschista segawae'' (Masam.) Masam. & Fukuy., Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 52: 247 (1938) * '' Chiloschista sweelimii'' Holttum, Orchid Rev. 74: 147 (1966) * ''

Chiloschista taeniophyllum ''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'' ...

'' (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 56: 492 (1921) * ''

Chiloschista treubii ''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'' ...

'' (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 56: 492 (1921) * ''

Chiloschista trudelii ''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., Orchidee (Hamburg) 38: 310 (1987) * ''

Chiloschista usneoides ''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'' ...

'' (D.Don) Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. 18: t. 1522 (1832) * ''

Chiloschista viridiflava ''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'' ...

'' Seidenf., Opera Bot. 95: 175 (1988) * ''

Chiloschista yunnanensis ''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'' ...

'' Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 4: 74 (1919)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2248680 Vandeae genera