Cleisostoma Bl.

Abstract

Cleisostoma is comprised of around 100 species distributed in Sri Lanka, southern India, southern China and Southeast Asia to the Pacific Islands, from sea level to 3050 m. They are epiphytic, rarely terrestrial or saxicolous, small, monopodial herbs with rigid, erect or pendulous, non-branching stems bearing terete or flattened, lanceolate rigid leaves. Inflorescences are axillary or arise opposite the leaves perforating the leaf sheath, pendulous with many small, yellow to greenish-brown or brown flowers with a complex lip of various colours (Fig. 31.1). The inflorescence continues to extend after the initial flowers have faded allowing the plant to remain in bloom for several months. A few species are cultivated by collectors, but I have not seen any of the pretty Malayan species in cultivation. Three species are employed as medicinal herbs. Cleisostoma birmanicum is employed to treat orchitis in Laos (Teoh 2016). There is no hybridization involving Cleisostoma.