Cleisomeria

(pronounced: kly-soh-MER-ee-ah)

Classification

Vandeae subtribe Aeridinae

If you are an AOS Member, access OrchidPro online to browse and search over 100,000 photos of award-winning orchids and more.

If you are not an AOS member, discover the benefits of joining today

Overview

Miniature monopodial epiphytes rooting at the base. Stems short. Leaves alternate, distichous, strap-shaped, leathery or rigid-fleshy. Inflorescences axillary pendent short-pedunculate racemes, the peduncle and rachis pubescent, the floral bract conspicuous, as long or longer than the flower. Flowers pendent, cupped. Sepals and petals free, spreading. Lip three-lobed, saccate, sessile, with a large frontwall callus. Column very short, without wings or foot; pollinia 4, in two tightly appressed unequal pairs, on a common spatulate stipe and minute viscidium.

Etymology

From the Greek kleisos, meaning closed, and meros, meaning part, referring to the lip which is occluded by a large frontwall callus.

Distribution

A genus of two species from Myanmar to Malaya.

Care and Culture Card

See basic growing conditions and care information below.


Literature

Seidenfaden, G. 1988. Orchid genera in Thailand XIV. Fifty-nine vandoid genera. Opera Bot. 95:1-368.
Hero-img3