Phaius

Last updated • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Swamp orchids
Phaius rosellus (1847).jpg
Phaius rosellus
1847 illustration
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Collabieae
Genus: Phaius
Lour. [1]
Synonyms [1]

Phaius, commonly known as swamp orchids [2] or in Chinese as 鶴頂蘭屬/鹤顶兰属 (he ding lan shu), [3] is a genus of forty-five species of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. They are evergreen, terrestrial herbs which form clumps with crowded, sometimes stem-like pseudobulbs, large, pleated leaves and relatively large, often colourful flowers. Species in this genus are found in the tropical parts of Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. [1] One species is also naturalized in Hawaii, Florida, and the Caribbean. [4]

Contents

Description

Orchids in the genus Phaius are evergreen, terrestrial, sympodial herbs with thin underground rhizomes and crowded above ground, sometimes stem-like pseudobulbs. There are several pleated, stalked leaves emerging from the pseudobulb. The flower stalk is unbranched and bears a few to many moderately large, resupinate, often colourful flowers. The sepals and petals are similar in size and shape and the labellum has three lobes and a shallow pouch near its base. [2] [3] [5] [6] [7]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Phaius was first formally described in 1790 by João de Loureiro and the description was published in his book Flora Cochinchinensis. [8] [9] The specific epithet (Phaius) is derived from the Ancient Greek word phaios meaning "dusky" or "brown", [10] referring to the brownish colour of the flowers of many species in this genus. [5]

List of species

The following is a list of Phaius species recognised by Plants of the World Online as of September 2023: [11]

Distribution

Orchids in the genus Phaius are found in tropical Africa, India, tropical and subtropical China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Polynesia and Australia. Nine species, four of which are endemic, occur in China and three species including two endemics are found in Australia. The Australian species are found in Queensland, the Northern Territory and New South Wales. [3] [5]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Coelogyne</i> Genus of orchids

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<i>Calanthe</i> Genus of orchids

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<i>Zeuxine</i> Genus of orchids

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<i>Eria</i> Genus of orchids

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<i>Cylindrolobus</i> Genus of plants in the Orchidaceae from New Guinea, Asian Tropics and China

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<i>Pinalia</i> Genus of orchids

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<i>Phreatia</i> Genus of orchids

Phreatia, commonly known as lace orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae, native to regions bordering the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Plants in this genus are epiphytes, sometimes with pseudobulbs, in which case there are usually one or two leaves. Others lack pseudobulbs but have up to twelve leaves. A large number of small white or greenish flowers are borne on a flowering stem emerging from a leaf axil or from the base of the pseudobulb when present but the flowers do not open widely. There are about 220 species, distributed from tropical and subtropical Asia to the Pacific.

<i>Arachnis</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

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<i>Robiquetia</i> Genus of orchids

Robiquetia, commonly known as pouched orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are epiphytes with long, sometimes branched, fibrous stems, leathery leaves in two ranks and large numbers of small, densely crowded flowers on a pendulous flowering stem. There are about eighty species found from tropical and subtropical Asia to the Western Pacific.

<i>Trichoglottis</i> Genus of orchid

Trichoglottis, commonly known as cherub orchids or 毛舌兰属 , is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytic plants with thick roots, relatively thick, fibrous stems and many large, thick, leathery leaves arranged in two ranks. The flowers are usually small and yellowish with light brown or purple markings. The flowers have broad sepals, narrower petals and a labellum which has three lobes and is often hairy. There are about 85 species distributed from tropical and subtropical Asia to the north-western Pacific. Most species grow in rainforest.

<i>Pholidota</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

Pholidota, commonly known as rattlesnake orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are clump-forming epiphytes or lithophytes with pseudobulbs, each with a single large leaf and a large number of small, whitish flowers arranged in two ranks along a thin, wiry flowering stem that emerges from the top of the pseudobulb. There are about thirty five species native to areas from tropical and subtropical Asia to the southwestern Pacific.

<i>Cheirostylis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Cheirostylis, commonly known as fleshy jewel orchids or velvet orchids, is a genus of about sixty species of flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are terrestrial herbs with a caterpillar-like rhizome and a loose rosette of leaves. Small, white, hairy flowers develop as the leaves wither. They are found in tropical Africa, southern Asia, Southeast Asia, Malesia, New Guinea and Australia.

<i>Thelasis</i> Genus of orchids

Thelasis, commonly known as fly orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are usually epiphytes, sometimes lithophytes or rarely terrestrials. Some species have pseudobulbs with up to three leaves, whilst others have several leaves in two ranks. A large number of small, white or greenish yellow flowers are borne on a thin, arching flowering stem. There are about thirty species, distributed from tropical and subtropical Asia to the southwest Pacific.

<i>Peristylus</i> Genus of orchids

Peristylus, sometimes commonly known as ogre orchids or bog orchids is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It consists of over 100 known species found across much of eastern and southern Asia as well as in Australia and on many islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Phaius tankervilleae</i> Species of orchid

Phaius tankervilleae, commonly known as the greater swamp-orchid, swamp lily, swamp orchid, nun's-hood orchid, nun's orchid, veiled orchid, Lady Tankerville's swamp orchid or 鹤顶兰 , is a species of orchid native to areas from Asia to islands in the Pacific Ocean. It has large, pleated leaves and tall flowering stems bearing up to twenty five white, brown, mauve and yellow flowers. It was named for Lady Tankerville who was the first person to make the orchid flower successfully in England. It was the first tropical orchid to flower in England.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Phaius". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 361. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 Chen, Xinqi; Cribb, Phillip J.; Bell, Alexandra. "Phaius". Flora of China. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  4. Biota of North America Program, county distribution map
  5. 1 2 3 D.L.Jones; T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). "Phaius". Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids . Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  6. Weston, Peter H. "Phaius". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  7. "Genus Phaius". Orchids of New Guinea. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  8. "Phaius". APNI. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  9. de Loureiro, João (1790). Flora Cochinchinensis. Vol. 2. Lisbon. p. 517. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  10. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 168.
  11. "Phaius". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  12. "Phaius pictus". Australian Plant Name Index, IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.