Eurystyles

Cranichideae subtribe Spiranthinae

Miniature rosulate epiphytes. Roots succulent. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, petiolate, often ciliolate. Inflorescences terminal pedunculate subumbellate racemes, initially suberect but nodding in flower, the floral bracts conspicuous, often fimbriate-ciliolate. Flowers small, tubular, barely opening, white and green. Sepals and petals fused shortly fused at the base, subsimilar. Lip unlobed, clawed, with basal auricles, +/- low callus, usually pubescent-spiculate. Column broad, bluntly three-toothed at the apex; the pollinia 2, naked.

From the Greek eurys, meaning broad, and stylis, referring to the style, in reference to the broad column of the type species.

A genus of 13 species from Central and South America. Szlachetko divided the genus into two subgenera: subgenus Pseudoeurystyles (Hoehne) Szlachetko produces nectar glands completely fused to the lip; subgenus Eurystyles bears nectar glands that form fles

Burns-Balogh, P., H. Robinson and M. S. Foster 1985. The capitate-flowered epiphytic Spiranthinae (Orchidaceae) and a new genus from Paraguay. Brittonia 37(2):154-162..

Soto Arenas, M. A. 1993. Eurystyles, a new generic record for the Mexican orchid flora. Orquidea (Mex.) 13(1-2):269-274.

Szlachetko, D. L. 1992. Notes on Eurystyles (Orchidaceae), with a description of a new species from Mesoamerica. Fragm. Flor. Geobot. 37(1):13-19.