Calanthe

The genus Calanthe is a widespread genus of terrestrial orchids (family Orchidaceae) with about 150 species.

Distribution

The genus is found in all tropical areas, but mostly concentrated in Asia.

Description

This genus is abbreviated Cal. (the full stop is important) in trade journals. The genus is divided into 2 groups: deciduous species and evergreen ones. The first man made hybrid in this genus is Calanthe dominii (Calanthe masuca × Calanthe furcata) which was made by John Dominy in 1853.

The genus can be divided into two sections of Eucalanthe and Preptanthe. Plants from these two sections can not be hybridized. The section Eucalanthe are deciduous plants which has a gray-green membranous sheath covering the pseudobulbs. The section Preptanthe is evergreen and has small pseudobulbs and long lived leaves.

Culture

Plants grow in various temperatures depending on their habitat location. They require moderate light to shady conditions. When potting Calanthe plants, the pseudobulbs must be half buried into the potting media. Plants can be potted in 40% soil, 40% dry bark and 20% perlite or another humus rich soil mixture. Plants that are evergreen can be watered regularly. Deciduous plants should be with consistent moisture during spring and summer when there is new growth. As leaves begin to yellow reduce watering to allow the plants to dry between waterings. During winter with hold watering and keep the plant humid.

Naming

Plants are named after the beauty of the flowers in the genus.

Synonyms

1. Alismorchis Thou. 1822
2. Alismorkis Thou. 1809
3. Amblyglottis Bl. 1825
4. Aulostylis Schlechter 1912
5. Calanthidium Pfitz. 1889
6. Centrosis Thou. 1822
7. Cephalantheropsis Guillaumin 1960
8. Cytheris Lindley in Wall. 1831
9. Ghiesbreghtia A. Rich & Gal. 1845
10. Limatodis Lindley 1825
11. Paracalanthe Kudô 1930
12. Preptanthe Lindley 1853
13. Styloglossum Kuhl & v.Hass. 1829
14. Zoduba Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don 1825

Taxonomy

The plant can be separated into two subsections.

1. Section Eucalanthe
2. Section Preptanthe

Species

Calanthe abbreviata Calanthe aceras Calanthe actinomorpha Calanthe albolutea Calanthe aleizettii Calanthe alismifolia Calanthe alpina Calanthe alta Calanthe angustifolia Calanthe angustifolia var. angustifolia. Calanthe angustifolia var. flava Calanthe anthropophora Calanthe arcuata Calanthe arfakana Calanthe argenteostriata Calanthe arisanensis Calanthe aristulifera Calanthe aruank Calanthe atjehensis Calanthe aurantiaca Calanthe aureiflora Calanthe bicalcarata Calanthe bicalcarata var. bicalcarata. Calanthe bicalcarata var. depressa Calanthe biloba Calanthe brevicornu Calanthe breviflos Calanthe calanthoides Calanthe camptoceras Calanthe cardioglossa Calanthe carrii Calanthe caulescens Calanthe caulodes Calanthe cheniana Calanthe chevalieri Calanthe chloroleuca Calanthe chrysoglossoides Calanthe chrysoleuca Calanthe clavata Calanthe clavicalcar Calanthe cleistogama Calanthe coelogyniformis Calanthe coiloglossa Calanthe conspicua Calanthe coreana Calanthe cremeoviridis Calanthe crenulata Calanthe cruciata Calanthe crumenata Calanthe davaensis Calanthe davidii Calanthe densiflora Calanthe dipteryx Calanthe discolor Calanthe disticha Calanthe dulongensis Calanthe duyana Calanthe ecallosa Calanthe ecarinata Calanthe emeishanica Calanthe engleriana Calanthe engleriana var. brevicalcarata Calanthe engleriana var. engleriana. Calanthe englishii Calanthe ensifolia Calanthe epiphytica Calanthe esquirolei Calanthe fargesii Calanthe finisterrae Calanthe fissa Calanthe flava Calanthe flava var. flava. Calanthe flava var. rubra Calanthe forbesii Calanthe fragrans Calanthe fulgens Calanthe geelvinkensis Calanthe gibbsiae Calanthe graciliflora Calanthe graciliscapa Calanthe griffithii Calanthe halconensis Calanthe hancockii Calanthe hattorii Calanthe hennisii Calanthe henryi Calanthe herbacea Calanthe hirsuta Calanthe hololeuca Calanthe hoshii Calanthe hyacinthina Calanthe imthurnii Calanthe inflata Calanthe izu-insularis Calanthe johorensis Calanthe jusnerii Calanthe kawakamiense Calanthe kaniensis Calanthe kemulensis Calanthe keshabii Calanthe kinabaluensis Calanthe labellicauda Calanthe labrosa Calanthe lacerata Calanthe lechangensis Calanthe leucosceptrum Calanthe leucosceptrum var. bisubulifera Calanthe leucosceptrum var. leucosceptrum. Calanthe limprichtii Calanthe longibracteata Calanthe longifolia Calanthe lutiviridis Calanthe lyroglossa Calanthe lyroglossa var. longibracteata Calanthe lyroglossa var. lyroglossa. Calanthe madagascariensis Calanthe mannii Calanthe maquilingensis Calanthe maxii Calanthe mcgregorii Calanthe metoensis Calanthe micrantha Calanthe microglossa Calanthe moluccensis Calanthe monophylla Calanthe muelleri Calanthe nankunensis Calanthe nicolae Calanthe nipponica Calanthe nivalis Calanthe oblanceolata Calanthe obreniformis Calanthe odora Calanthe oreadum Calanthe otuhanica Calanthe ovalifolia Calanthe ovata Calanthe papuana Calanthe parvilabris Calanthe pauciverrucosa Calanthe pavairiensis Calanthe petelotiana Calanthe pilosa Calanthe plantaginea Calanthe plantaginea var. lushuiensis Calanthe plantaginea var. plantaginea. Calanthe polyantha Calanthe puberula Calanthe pulchra Calanthe pullei Calanthe rajana Calanthe reflexilabris Calanthe rhodochila Calanthe rhodochila var. reconditiflora Calanthe rhodochila var. rhodochila. Calanthe rigida Calanthe rosea Calanthe rubens Calanthe ruttenii Calanthe saccata Calanthe sacculata Calanthe salaccensis Calanthe sanderiana Calanthe seranica Calanthe shelfordii Calanthe shweliensis Calanthe simplex Calanthe sinica Calanthe spathoglottoides Calanthe speciosa Calanthe stenophylla Calanthe stevensiana Calanthe striata Calanthe succedanea Calanthe sylvatica Calanthe taenioides Calanthe tahitensis Calanthe tenuis Calanthe torricellensis Calanthe transiens Calanthe triantherifera Calanthe tricarinata Calanthe trifida Calanthe triplicata Calanthe trulliformis Calanthe truncata Calanthe truncicola Calanthe tsoongiana Calanthe uncata Calanthe undulata Calanthe unifolia Calanthe vaginata Calanthe velutina Calanthe ventilabrum Calanthe versteegii Calanthe vestita Calanthe villosa Calanthe whiteana Calanthe yuana Calanthe yuksomnensis Calanthe zollingeri

Natural Hybrids

• Calanthe × albolilacina
• Calanthe × dominii
• Calanthe × subhamata
• Calanthe × varians