Cleisocentron

Cleisocentron is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It has a disjunct distribution, known from the Himalayas, Vietnam, China and Borneo.

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. Three species have blue flowers, but other colours, such as pink and white also occur.

Cytology

The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 38.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Greek kleistos meaning closed, as well as kentron meaning spur. 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. Alternatively, there have been speculations, that the nectariferous flowers are pollinated by butterflies.

Taxonomy

It was published by Paul Johannes Brühl in 1926 with Cleisocentron trichromum (Rchb. f.) Brühl as the type species.

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.

External links

Data related to Cleisocentron at Wikispecies