Ceratostylis
(pronounced: sayr-at-oh-STYE-liss)
Classification
Podochileae subtribe Eriinae
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Overview
Caespitose or trailing epiphytes. Pseudobulbs narrow, stem-like, short to elongate. Leaves one, terete to linear-oblanceolate. Inflorescences solitary axillary flowers (when short-stemmed) or axillary (when long-stemmed). Flowers tubular and barely opening to wide-opening, variable in color. Sepals and petals free, spreading, subsimilar. Lip variable, unlobed to obscurely three-lobed, clawed, callus absent or minimal. Column short, bilobed at the apex +/- a short foot; pollinia 8, sessile on a minute viscidium.
Etymology
From the Greek keras or kerato, meaning horn, and stylis, meaning style, referring to the fleshy bilobed (horned) column.
Distribution
A genus of 70 species from India and southern China to New Guinea and the islands of the Pacific Ocean.
Care and Culture Card
See basic growing conditions and care information below.
Grow caespitose plants of Ceratostylis in small pots with a fine-grade epiphyte mixture. Trailing species should be mounted on slabs with a small pad of moisture-retaining material at the roots. Provide medium to bright light levels, intermediate to warm temperatures, and regular watering throughout the year. Trailing species resent disturbance of the roots and they should only be repotted or re-slabbed when absolutely necessary and when divided should be separated into large, many-stemmed divisions.
Literature
Seidenfaden, G. and J. J. Wood. 1992. The Orchids of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Olsen and Olsen, Fredensborg, Denmark.
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