Luisia Microptera

''Luisia'', commonly known as velvet orchids or 钗子股属 (chai zi gu shu), is a genus of epiphytic or lithophytic orchids in family Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus have flattened roots, long leafy stems, narrow, thick, leathery leaves and short-lived flowers that open sporadically. There are about forty species found from tropical and subtropical Asia to the Western Pacific.

Description

Orchids in the genus ''Luisia'' are epiphytic or lithophytic, monopodial herbs with long, fibrous stems and thick, more or less flattened roots. A large number of cylinder-shaped, narrow leathery leaves are arranged along the stems. Up to ten resupinate, usually small, fleshy flowers are arranged on a short, thickened flowering stem and open sporadically. Each flower has a short, curved stalk and petals that are longer than the sepals. The labellum is large and fleshy with an upper epichile separated by a groove from the lower concave hypochile. The labellum has a rigid connection to the column.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Luisia'' was first formally described in 1829 by Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré and the description was published in ''Voyage autour du monde fait par ordre du Roi sur les corvettes de S. M. l'Uranie et la Physicienne''. The name ''Luisia'' honours Don Luis de Torres who assisted the French expedition at Guam.

Distribution

Orchids in the genus ''Luisia'' occur in Bhutan, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Guinea the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia, Micronesia and Melanesia.

Species list

The following is a list of species of ''Luisia'' accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at December 2018:

* '' Luisia abrahami'' Vatsala in A.Abraham & P.Vatsala, 1981
* '' Luisia amesiana'' Rolfe, 1893
* '' Luisia antennifera'' Blume, 1849
* ''Luisia appressifolia'' Aver., 2000
* '' Luisia balakrishnanii'' S.Misra 2010
* ''Luisia brachystachys'' (Lindl.) Blume, 1849
* ''Luisia cantharis'' Rolfe, 1895
* '' Luisia celebica'' Schltr., 1911
* '' Luisia confusa'' Rchb.f. in W.G.Walpers, 1863
* '' Luisia cordatilabia'' Ames & Quisumb. (1933, publ. 1934)
* '' Luisia curtisii'' Seidenf., 1997
* '' Luisia filiformis'' Hook.f., 1890
* '' Luisia foxworthii'' Ames, 1908
* ''Luisia hancockii'' Rolfe, 1896
* '' Luisia javanica'' J.J.Sm., 1914
* ''Luisia jonesii'' J.J.Sm., 1914
* ''Luisia longispica'' Z.H.Tsi & S.C.Chen, 1994
* ''Luisia lui'' T.C.Hsu & S.W.Chung 2010
* '' Luisia macrantha'' Blatt. & McCann, 1932
* '' Luisia macrotis'' Rchb.f., 1869
* '' Luisia magniflora'' Z.H.Tsi & S.C.Chen, 1994
* '' Luisia megasepala'' Hayata, 1914
* '' Luisia microptera'' Rchb.f., 1870
* ''Luisia morsei'' Rolfe, 1903
* '' Luisia occidentalis'' Lindl. 1853
* '' Luisia parviflora'' Aver. 2015
* '' Luisia primulina'' C.S.P.Parish & Rchb.f., 1874
* ''Luisia psyche'' Rchb.f., 1863
* '' Luisia ramosii'' Ames, 1911
* '' Luisia recurva'' Seidenf., 1971
* '' Luisia secunda'' Seidenf., 1971
* '' Luisia taurina'' J.J.Sm., 1910
* '' Luisia tenuifolia'' Blume, 1849
* '' Luisia teres'' (Thunb.) Blume, 1849
* '' Luisia thailandica'' Seidenf., 1971
* ''Luisia trichorhiza'' (Hook.) Blume, 1849
* '' Luisia tristis'' (G.Forst.) Hook.f., 1890
* '' Luisia unguiculata'' J.J.Sm., 1926
* ''Luisia volucris'' Lindl., 1853
* ''Luisia zeylanica'' Lindl. 1853
* '' Luisia zollingeri'' Rchb.f. in W.G.Walpers, 1863

Intergeneric hybrids

*x ''Aeridisia'' (''Aerides'' x ''Luisia'')
*x ''Aeridovanisia '' (''Aerides'' x ''Luisia'' x ''Vanda'')
*x ''Ascogastisia'' (''Ascocentrum'' x ''Gastrochilus'' x ''Luisia'')
*x ''Debruyneara '' (''Ascocentrum'' x ''Luisia'' x ''Vanda'')
*x ''Dominyara '' (''Ascocentrum'' x ''Luisia'' x ''Neofinetia'' x ''Rhynchostylis'' )
*x ''Gastisia '' (''Gastrochilus'' x ''Luisia'')
*x ''Gastisocalpa '' (''Gastrochilus'' x ''Luisia'' x ''Pomatocalpa'')
*x ''Goffara '' (''Luisia'' x ''Rhynchostylis '' x ''Vanda'')
*x ''Luascotia'' (''Ascocentrum'' x ''Luisia'' x ''Neofinetia'')
*x ''Luicentrum'' (''Ascocentrum'' x ''Luisia'')
*x ''Luichilus'' (''Luisia'' x ''Sarcochilus'')
*x ''Luinetia '' (''Luisia'' x ''Neofinetia'')
*x ''Luinopsis '' (''Luisia'' x ''Phalaenopsis'')
*x ''Luisanda '' (''Luisia'' x ''Vanda'')
*x ''Luistylis '' (''Luisia'' x ''Rhynchostylis'' )
*x ''Luivanetia'' (''Luisia'' x ''Neofinetia'' x ''Vanda'')
*x ''Pageara '' (''Ascocentrum'' x ''Luisia'' x ''Rhynchostylis'' x ''Vanda'')
*x ''Papilisia'' (''Papilionanthe'' x ''Luisia'') One species of ''Papilionanthe'' was re-classified as a hybrid with this genus ('' × Papilisia taiwaniana'')
*x ''Pomatisia '' (''Luisia'' x ''Pomatocalpa'')
*x ''Scottara'' (''Aerides'' x ''Arachnis'' x ''Luisia'')
*x ''Trautara '' (''Doritis'' x ''Luisia'' x ''Phalaenopsis'')

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2456301

Vandeae genera
Epiphytic orchids