''Cleisocentron'' 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 ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s from the orchid family,

Orchidaceae Orchids are plants that belong to the family (biology), family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan plants that ...

. It has a disjunct distribution, known from the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

and

Borneo Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...

Description

The species of this genus are tropical epiphytes with a pendent or erect habit. The leaves may be terete or broad. Both types of leaves may occur on the same specimen, as some species exhibit leaf polymorphy.Pridgeon, A., Cribb, P., Chase, M., & Rasmussen, F. (2014)
"Genera Orchidacearum Volume 6: Epidendroideae (Part 3)."
pp. 158-161 OUP Oxford. Three species have blue flowers, but other colours, such as pink and white also occur.

Cytology

The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 38.Genera Orchidacearum: Volume 1: Apostasioideae and Cypripedioideae.
p. 72. (1999). Vereinigtes Königreich: OUP Oxford.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Greek ''kleistos'' meaning closed, as well as ''kentron'' meaning spur.Teoh, E.S. (2021). ''Cleisocentron'' Bruhl.. In: Orchid Species from Himalaya and Southeast Asia Vol. 1 (A - E). pp 199–201. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58872-4_30 The name relates to the morphology of the spurred labellum.

Ecology

Pollination

There have been reports of pollination or visitation by ants, which was observed during field expeditions in Borneo.Pugh-Jones, S. (2021, May 29). ''Cleisocentron gokusingii'' – 365 days of orchids – day 1616. WSBEorchids. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://wsbeorchids.org/2021/cleisocentron-gokusingii-365-days-of-orchids-day-1616/ Alternatively, there have been speculations, that the nectariferous flowers are pollinated by butterflies.Chase, M., Christenhusz, M., Mirenda, T., & Ivy Press (2017)
"The Book of Orchids: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from Around the World."
p. 555. University of Chicago Press.

Taxonomy

It was published by

Paul Johannes Brühl Paul Johannes Brühl (25 February 1855 – 7 September 1935) was a German-origin professor of botany who worked in India, mainly at the Presidency College, Calcutta. Brühl was born in Weifa, Bautzen, Saxony to Michael Brühl and was educated in ...

in 1926''Cleisocentron'' Brühl. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved January 4, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/29059-1 with ''Cleisocentron trichromum'' as the type species.Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-e). ''Cleisocentron'' Brühl. Tropicos. Retrieved January 4, 2025, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/40009971

Species

Eight species are currently recognized: #'' Cleisocentron abasii'' Cavestro - Sabah #'' Cleisocentron gokusingii'' J.J.Wood & A.L.Lamb - Sabah #'' Cleisocentron kinabaluense'' Metusala & J.J.Wood - Sabah #'' Cleisocentron klossii'' (Ridl.) Garay - Vietnam #'' Cleisocentron malipoense'' (Z.J.Liu & L.J.Chen) R.Rice - Malipo, Yunnan, China #'' Cleisocentron merrillianum'' (Ames) Christenson - Sabah #'' Cleisocentron neglectum'' M.J.Mathew & J.Mathew - India (Karnataka) #'' Cleisocentron pallens'' (Cathcart ex Lindl.) N.Pearce & P.J.Cribb - eastern Himalayas (Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, India)

Formerly included species

*''Cleisocentron collettianum'' (King & Pantl.) Garay is now considered a synonym of '' Robiquetia pachyphylla'' (Rchb.f.) Garay.

Horticulture

Cleisocentron is rarely found in cultivation. However, they are easy to cultivate. Numerous intergeneric hybrids with ''Cleisocentron'' have been described.

References

External links

* Aeridinae Orchids of Asia Vandeae genera Orchids of India Orchids of Borneo Orchids of Vietnam Flora of East Himalaya Plants described in 1926 Taxa named by Paul Johannes Brühl {{Vandeae-stub