Peristylus

Orchideae subtribe Habenariinae. Peristylus has been previously included in a broadly defined Habenaria.

Terrestrials arising from subterranean tubers. Leaves sessile or petiolate, several, usually clustered towards the center of the plant. Inflorescences elongate, scapose, laxly to densely-flowered racemes. Flowers inconspicuous, usually green to greenish white. Sepals and petals free, spreading, +/- subsimilar. Lip three-lobed, with a usually saccate-subglobose spur. Column very short; pollinia 2, granular, each on a separate caudicle.

A genus of about 80 species ranging from India and Sri Lanka to New Guinea, Australia, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean.

Fitch, C. M. and E. A. Christenson 1997. Peristylus constrictus. Orchids 66(2):128-131.

Garg, V. 1987. Variation in flavanoid patterns and species relationships in the genus Peristylus Bl. (Orchidaceae). Abst. XIV. Int. Bot. Congr., Berlin, p. 279.

Garg, V. and S. M. Jorapur 1986. A note on Peristylus elatus Dalz. (Orchidaceae). Indian J. Forestry 9:359.

Howcroft, N. H. S. 1981. A note on the genera Peristylus and Habenaria in Australia and New Guinea. Orchadian 7(1):8.

Lang, K.-Y. 1987. The genus Peristylus Blume (Orchidaceae) in China. Acta Phytotax. Sinica 25(6):442-459.

Lavarack, P. S. 1981. Notes on Peristylus and Habenaria in Queensland. Orchadian 7(1):9-10.

Renz, J. 1989. New species of Peristylus and Platanthera (Orchidaceae) from India and New Guinea. J. Orchid Soc. India 1(1-2):23-28.

Renz, J. 1989. Studies in the subtribe Habenariinae (Orchidaceae) III. Two new species of Peristylus from New Guinea. The Davis and Hedge Festschrift, K. Tan (ed.), Edinburgh Univ. Press, pp. 185-189.

Renz, J. and S. Vodonaivalu 1989. Studies in the subtribe Habenariinae (Orchidaceae) IV. Habenaria, Peristylus and Cynorkis from the Fiji Islands. Blumea 34:87-98.

Santapau, H, and Z. Kapadia 1960. Critical notes on the Orchidaceae of Bombay State, II. Platanthera L. C. Rich. and Peristylus Bl. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 57:124-135.

Wood, J. J. and P. Ormerod 1998. Notes on Habenaria Willd. and Peristylus Blume. Orchid Rev. 106(1222):238-239.