毛兰属 mao lan shu

Authors:Authors: Xinqi Chen, Yi-Bo Luo & Jeffrey J. Wood

Trichosma Lindley.

Herbs, epiphytic, lithophytic, or rarely terrestrial. Rhizome creeping. Stems pseudobulbous, of 1 distinctly enlarged internode, ovoid, faintly to distinctly angular in transverse section, with 2-4 leaves toward apex; base of pseudobulbs loosely covered by leaf sheaths. Leaves convolute in bud, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, leathery, articulate, tapering at base. Inflorescence axillary, erect, many flowered, pubescent; peduncle subtended by 2 or 3 imbricate sterile bracts arising from opposite leaf base; inflorescence axis covered by brown stellate hairs; floral bracts brown, narrowly ovate to triangular. Flowers opening widely, usually cream-colored to pale yellow and in some species with purple veins or purple markings on column, column foot, and lip, stellate or otherwise, large; ovary angular in cross section, sometimes winged. Sepals narrowly triangular with hairs abaxially; lateral sepals slightly ventrally broadened at base, recurved at apex; mentum distinct. Petals similar to sepals; lip simple or 3-lobed, callus absent or adorned with ridges. Column short, foot incurved; anther cap fleshy, with an obtuse apical median ridge, apex obtuse and covering erect, truncate rostellum; pollinia 8, in 2 groups of 4, each group contained within a distinct 4-chambered pouch at base of anther cap, each pollinium laterally compressed, ± deltoid in lateral view, equal in size, at base attached with white granular caudicles.

About 15 species: mainland Asia and the whole of the Malay Archipelago, east to New Guinea and Bougainville Island; seven species (one endemic) in China.