Sarcochilus

Sarcochilus, commonly known as butterfly orchids or fairy bells[4]:446–447 is a genus of about twenty species of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Most species are epiphytes but a few species only grow on rocks or in leaf litter. Orchids in this genus usually have short stems, leaves arranged in two rows and flowers arranged along unbranched flowering stems. Most species are endemic to Australia but some are found in New Guinea and New Caledonia.

Sarcochilus
Illustration of Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii from Fitzgerald's Australian Orchids[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Vandeae
Subtribe: Aeridinae
Genus: Sarcochilus
R.Br.[2]
Type species
Sarcochilus falcatus
Synonyms[2]
  • Gunnia Lindl.
  • Parasarcochilus Dockrill
  • Monanthochilus (Schltr.) R.Rice
Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii
Sarcochilus hirticalcar

Description

Orchids in the genus Sarcochilus are epiphytic or lithophytic monopodial herbs with fibrous stems and long, relatively broad leaves folded lengthwise and arranged in two ranks. The flowers are scented, resupinate and arranged on an unbranched flowering stem, each flower on a short thin stalk. The sepals and petals are free from and similar to each other except that the petals are usually smaller than the sepals. The labellum is hinged to the column and has three lobes. The sides lobes are relatively large and upright, sometimes curving inwards. The structure of the middle lobe varies between species.[4][5][6][7]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Sarcochilus was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[3][8] The name Sarcochilus is derived from the Ancient Greek words sarx meaning "flesh"[9]:47 and cheilos meaning "lip",[9]:200 referring to the fleshy labellum of these orchids.[5]

The genus Sarcochilus has been shown to be non-monophyletic.[10]

Species

The following is a list of Sarcochilus species recognised by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at December 2018. The common names in the list below are those used by David Jones.[2][4]:447–452

Hybrids

The species S. falcatus, S. fitzgeraldii and S. hartmannii have been hybridized, often with S. australis, producing rounder, cherry-red flowers. A few examples are : S. Fitzhart (hartmannii × fitzgeraldii), S. Heidi (Fitzhart × hartmannii), S. Arcadia (Lois × Fitzhart) and S. George Colthup (Melba × hartmannii).

Intrageneric hybrids include
  • × Aeridochilus (Aerides × Sarcochilus)
  • × Gastrosarcochilus (Gastrochilus × Sarcochilus)
  • × Luichilus (Luisia × Sarcochilus)
  • × Malcolmcampbellara (Drymoanthus × Plectorrhiza × Sarcochilus)
  • × Parachilus (Parasarcochilus × Sarcochilus)
  • × Plectochilus (Plectorrhiza × Sarcochilus)
  • × Pomatochilus (Pomatocalpa × Sarcochilus)
  • × Porterara (Rhynchostylis × Sarcochilus × Vanda)
  • × Rhinochilus (Rhinerrhiza × Sarcochilus)
  • × Sarcocentrum (Ascocentrum × Sarcochilus)
  • × Sarcomoanthus (Sarcochilus × Drymoanthus)
  • × Sarconopsis (Phalaenopsis × Sarcochilus)
  • × Sarcorhiza (Rhinerrhiza × Sarcochilus)
  • × Sarcothera (Renanthera × Sarcochilus)
  • × Sarcovanda (Sarchilus × Vanda)
  • × Sartylis (Rhynchostylis × Sarcochilus)
  • × Sladeara (Doritis × Phalaenopsis × Sarcochilus)
  • × Uptonara (Phalaenopsis × Rhynchostylis × Sarcochilus)

Use in horticulture

The term "sarco" is often used to refer to a number of orchid genera, including Sarcochilus. Most species of Sarcochilus are easily grown but some are very difficult. They need bright light, high humidity and free air movement.[4][11]

References
  1. Fitzgerald, Robert D. (1882). Australian Orchids. Sydney: Government Printer. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  2. "Sarcochilus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. "Sarcochilus". APNI. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  4. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. ISBN 1877069124.
  5. "Sarcochilus". Trin keys. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  6. Jeanes, Jeff. "Sarcochilus". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  7. Weston, Peter H. "Sarcochilus". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  8. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. London. p. 332. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  9. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  10. Topik Hidayat, Tomohisa Yukawa and Motomi Ito (August 2005). "Molecular phylogenetics of subtribe Aeridinae (Orchidaceae): insights from plastid matK and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences". Journal of Plant Research. 118 (4): 271–284. doi:10.1007/s10265-005-0217-3. PMID 16025359.
  11. Roper, Neville. "Sarcochilus". The Orchid Society of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  • Upton, Walter T. (1992). Sarcochilus Orchids of Australia. Double U Orchids, Balmain. pp. 119 p. ISBN 0-646-09734-2.
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