Luisia


Luisia, commonly known as velvet orchids or 钗子股属 , 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 54 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 Plants of the World Online as at October 2025:Luisia abrahami Vatsala in A.Abraham & P.Vatsala, 1981Luisia amesiana Rolfe, 1893Luisia antennifera Blume, 1849 Luisia appressifolia Aver., 2000 Luisia balakrishnanii S.Misra 2010Luisia birchea BlumeLuisia brachyota H.H.Fu, Liang Ma & S.P.ChenLuisia brachystachys Blume, 1849Luisia cantharis Rolfe, 1895 Luisia celebica Schltr., 1911 Luisia confusa Rchb.f. in W.G.Walpers, 1863 Luisia cordata Fukuy.Luisia cordatilabia Ames & Quisumb. Luisia curtisii Seidenf., 1997 Luisia diglipurensis Sanjay Mishra & JalalLuisia filiformis Hook.f., 1890 Luisia foxworthii Ames, 1908 Luisia hancockii Rolfe, 1896 Luisia hoanii Duy, T.V.Tran & V.H.QuachLuisia inconspicua King & Pantl.Luisia jarawana Sanjay Mishra & JalalLuisia 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 2010Luisia macrantha Blatt. & McCann, 1932 Luisia macrotis Rchb.f., 1869 Luisia magniflora Z.H.Tsi & S.C.Chen, 1994 Luisia megamalaiana Karupp. & V.Ravich.Luisia megasepala Hayata, 1914 Luisia microptera Rchb.f., 1870 Luisia morsei Rolfe, 1903 Luisia occidentalis Lindl. 1853Luisia parviflora Aver. 2015Luisia platyglossa Rchb.f.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 simaoensis D.P.Ye & H.JiangLuisia sonii Kumar & S.W.GaleLuisia taurina J.J.Sm., 1910 Luisia teres BlumeLuisia teretifolia Gaudich.Luisia thailandica Seidenf., 1971Luisia trichorhiza Blume, 1849 Luisia tristis Hook.f., 1890 Luisia unguiculata J.J.Sm., 1926Luisia verrucosa Kurzweil, Nob.Tanaka & OrmerodLuisia volucris Lindl., 1853 Luisia yunnanensis Jie Huang & D.H.PengLuisia zeylanica Lindl. 1853Luisia zollingeri Rchb.f. in W.G.Walpers, 1863

Intergeneric hybrids

  • x Aeridisia
  • x Aeridovanisia
  • x Ascogastisia
  • x Debruyneara
  • x Dominyara
  • x Gastisia
  • x Gastisocalpa
  • x Goffara
  • x Luascotia
  • x Luicentrum
  • x Luichilus
  • x Luinetia
  • x Luinopsis
  • x Luisanda
  • x Luistylis
  • x Luivanetia
  • x Pageara
  • x Papilisia One species of Papilionanthe was re-classified as a hybrid with this genus
  • x Pomatisia
  • x Scottara
  • x ''Trautara ''