Cremastra, Lindley, 1833

Suetsugu, Kenji, 2021, Cremastra saprophytica (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae), a new leafless autonomously self-pollinating orchid species from Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Phytotaxa 527 (2), pp. 89-96 : 94-95

Key to the species of Cremastra (based on Chen et al. 2013)

1. Mycoheterotrophic plants without foliage leaves...............................................................................................................................2

- Apparently autotrophic plants with normal leaves.............................................................................................................................3

2. Stem dark brownish purple; flower weakly open, dark brownish purple; lip lateral lobes consistently exceeding column; lip callus positioned at the base of midlobe, clavate, verruculose, ca. 5.0 mm long, 2.5 mm in diameter and height, rostellum flat, deeply cleft after removing pollinarium, viscidium large, folded........................................................................................................... C. aphylla

- Stem green; flower almost closed, rose-purple to orange-brown, lip lateral lobes never exceeding column, lip callus positioned at the base of midlobe, linear or acute, smooth, 2.0–3.0 mm long, 0.5–1.0 mm diameter, rostellum absent, viscidium absent ............. .................................................................................................................................................................................... C. saprophytica

3. Creeping rhizome between pseudobulbs 3–4 cm long, leaves green with purple blotches, flowers suberect, opening widely, lip 16–20 mm, midlobe strongly reflexed.......................................................................................................................... C. unguiculata

- Creeping rhizome between pseudobulbs ca. 1 cm long, leaves green without purple blotches; flowers pendulous or horizontal on rachis, not opening widely, lip 25–35 mm, mid-lobes straight to slightly reflexed ...........................................................................4

4. Pseudobulbs broadly cylindric, 10.0–14.0 cm, lip callus midway along midlobe ..................................................... C. guizhouensis

- Pseudobulbs corm-like, ovoid or subglobose, 1.5–3.0 cm, lip callus at base of midlobe..................................................................5

5. Inflorescence sparsely 4–7-flowered, flowers horizontal to slightly pendulous, lip lateral lobes geniculate and twisted 90˚ at the base, midlobe slightly reflexed, rhombic to broadly ovoid.......................................................................................... C. malipoensis

- Inflorescence compact to densely (5–)8–32-flowered, flowers pendulous, lip lateral lobes straight, midlobe ovate to narrowly oblong................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6

6. Lip callus clavate, verruculose, ca. 5.0 mm long, 2.5 mm in diameter, column with a narrow ventral wing below anther ................ ................................................................................................................................................... C. appendiculata var. appendiculata

- Lip callus linear, smooth, 2.0–4.0 mm long, 1.0–2.0 mm in diameter, column wing absent............ C. appendiculata var. variabilis