Gastrochilus

Gastrochilus D. Don

An Indo-Malesian genus of about 50 species of epiphytic orchids, gastrochilus is represented in India by 19 species .Three species are known to occur in kerala.

1. Gastrochilus acaulis (Lindl) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 661. 1891; Jayaweera in Dassanayake & Fosberg 1981: 242; Seidenfaden in Matthew 1983 : 1598 ; Joseph 1987: 165.

Cleistostoma acaulis Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 227. 1833.

Saccolabium acaule (Lindl.) J.D. Hook ., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 61. 1890.

Vanda pulchella Wight , Ic. Pl. Ind. Or. 5(1) : 9.t. 1671. 1851.

Saccolabium nilagiricum J.D. Hook ., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 60 . 1890.

Gastrochilus nilagiricum J.D. Hook . Kuntze , Rev.Gen. Pl. 2: 661 . 1891: Rathakrishnan & Nair 1983: 638.

Gastrochilus pulchellus (Wight)Schltr., Fedde Repert. 12: 215. 1913, non Ridley 1906.

Saccolabium pulchellum (Wight ) fischer , Fol. Pres. Madras 1445. 1928.

Gastrochilus indicus Garay , Bot. Mus. Leafl. Harv. Univ. 23 (4) : 180. 1972.

Cleisostoma acaulis was originally described from Sri Lanka . Wight's Vanda pulchella was described based on collections from Nilgiris .

Occurrence : Trivandrum , palghat , Waynad and Kannur Districts.

Distribution : Peninsular India (Karnataka , Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Orissa) and Sri . Lanka .

2. Gastrochilus fabelliformis (Blatt. & McCann) Saldanha in Saldanha & Nicolson , Fl.Hassan Dist. 830. 1976.

Saccolabium flabelliforme Blatt .& Mc Cann,J. Bombay Nat.Hist. Soc. 35: 722.t. 1. 1931.

Originally described from North Canara, this species has been later recorded from kerala many times .

Gastrochilus flabelliformis (Blatt. & McCann) Saldanha

a. habit, b. a single flower, c. flower-longitudinal section through column and lip, d. column and lip, e. operculum, f. pollinarium

Occurrence : Quilon , Ernakulam , Thrissur, Palghat, Malappuram and Kannur Districts.

Distribution : Regional Endemic.(Karnataka and Kerala).

3. Gastrochilus sp.

This is probably related to Gastrochilus acaulis (Lindl.) Kuntze and likewise it has a tooth in the sac, but flowers are small , placed at right angle to the peduncle , openingone at a time and heavily spotted .

Occurrence : Wayanad District.

Distribution : Local Endemic (Kerala)

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