Trachoma, Garay, 1972

Kocyan, Alexander & Schuiteman, André, 2014, New combinations in Aeridinae (Orchidaceae), Phytotaxa 161 (1), pp. 61-85 : 75

TRACHOMA

Trachoma Garay (1972: 207) . Type species: Trachoma rhopalorhachis (Rchb.f.) Garay.

Trachoma ( Fig. 1K ) is characterised by abbreviated, swollen inflorescenes that carry successive clusters of one to a few ephemeral flowers. A column foot is lacking. Flowers of Trachoma are superficially similar to those of Tuberolabium , and the two genera have been confused, although Tuberolabium differs in several respects. Tuberolabium has elongated, pendent inflorescences; flowers last up to several weeks, and individual flowers mostly possess a prominent column foot. Based on these slight differences Wood (1990) united Tuberolabium with Trachoma but placed those Tuberolabium species with a column foot in Parapteroceras Aver. in Averyanov & Huyen (1990: 723). Molecular systematic studies show a clear distinction between Trachoma and Tuberolabium . We therefore accept Trachoma and consider Parapteroceras to be a synonym of Tuberolabium .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Selected flower images of the newly combined taxa to illustrate floral diversity among Aeridinae. A, Brachypeza unguiculata; B, Dimorphorchis breviscapa; C, Grosourdya myosurus; D, Phalaenopsis difformis; E, Renanthera caloptera; F, Thrixspermum breviscapum; G, Robiquetia punctata; H, Robiquetia minimiflora; I, Renanthera porphyrodesme; J, Taeniophyllum javanicum; K, Trachoma phillipsii; L, Trichoglottis biglandulosa; M, Trichoglottis ventricularis. Photographs by A. Kocyan (A, B, D, E, G–M), P. O’Byrne (C) and P.T. Ong (F).