Luisia Gaudich.,
in Freyc., Voy. Uranie, Bot. (1826) 426, t. 37
Monopodial epiphytes. Stem elongated, with several leaves arranged in two rows. Leaves sheathing at the base, glabrous, terete, deciduous, leathery. Inflorescence lateral, very short, a raceme or carrying a single flower. Flowers small to medium-sized, resupinate, usually greenish with a maroon lip. Sepals free. Petals free, often much longer than the sepals. Lip adnate to the column, without spur, flat, more or less clearly divided into a basal part and an apical part of different thickness and texture. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, solid, with a short slit, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.
Distribution
Tropical Asia, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, east to Samoa. About 30 species; in New Guinea at least two species (one of which at present apparently undescribed).
Habitat
Epiphyte in lowland and montane forest.
Notes
An easily recognised genus of monopodial orchids with terete leaves and very short inflorescences. The smallish flowers are usually green with a dark maroon lip. Luisias are occasionally cultivated, although of very limited horticultural value.
Species included on this CD-ROM:
Luisia tristis