''Tsaiorchis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family

Orchidaceae Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

Taxonomy

''Tsaiorchis'' is placed in the orchid subfamily

Orchidoideae The Orchidoideae, or the orchidoid orchids, are a subfamily of the orchid family (Orchidaceae) that contains around 3630 species. Species typically have a single (monandrous), fertile anther which is erect and basitonic. Description The subfa ...

, tribe

Orchideae Orchideae is a tribe of orchids in the subfamily Orchidoideae. Historically, it was divided into 2 subtribes, Orchidinae and Habenariinae. The subtribe Orchidinae alone contains about 1,800 species. However, although some phylogenetic studies hav ...

, subtribe Orchidineae. The relationship between ''Tsaiorchis'' and the rest of the subtribe is as shown in the

cladogram A cladogram (from Greek ''clados'' "branch" and ''gramma'' "character") is a diagram used in cladistics to show relations among organisms. A cladogram is not, however, an evolutionary tree because it does not show how ancestors are related to d ...

below. Although ''Tsaiorchis'' was shown to be sister to an expanded genus ''

Hemipilia ''Hemipilia'' is a genus of plants in the family Orchidaceae. It is native to China, the Himalayas and Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia ...

'', the two have significant differences. ''Hemipilia'' grows from

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

s, ''Tsaiorchis'' has horizontally extending

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

s. The detailed structure of the flowers is also different.

Species

''Tsaiorchis'' contains the following species: *'' Tsaiorchis neottianthoides'' T.Tang & F.T.Wang *'' Tsaiorchis keiskeoides'' (Gagnep.) X.H.Jin, Schuit. & W.T.Jin

References

Orchideae Orchideae genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Orchidoideae-stub