Calyptrochilum Kraenzl., 1895: 30

Simo-Droissart, Murielle, Stevart, Tariq, Sonke, Bonaventure, Sandrine Mayogo,, Kamdem, Narcisse & Droissart, Vincent, 2018, New taxonomic and conservation status of Ossiculum (Vandeae, Orchidaceae), a highly threatened and narrow-endemic angraecoid orchid from Central Africa, PhytoKeys 98, pp. 85-97 : 85

Calyptrochilum Kraenzl., 1895: 30

Ossiculum van der Laan & Cribb, 1986: 823. Type species: Ossiculum aurantiacum van der Laan & Cribb, 1986: 824, syn. nov.

Type species.

Calyptrochilum preussii Kraenzl. (1895: 30) (= Calyptrochilum emarginatum (Afzel. ex Sw.) Schltr. (1918: 84)).

Basionym.

Limodorum emarginatum Afzel. ex Sw.(1805: 86).

Description.

Epiphytic or lithophytic herbs. Stem cylindrical, erect, spreading or pendent, covered by sheathing leaf bases. Leaves coriaceous, distichous, imbricate, unequally bilobed at tip, articulate to sheathing at the base. Inflorescence axillary, few- to many-flowered, shorter than leaves; bract distichous, cucullate. Flowers white, sometimes with a green or yellow mark on labellum or bright orange with a yellow labellum. Sepals ovate-elliptic, acuminate. Petals oblanceolate, acute. Labellum entire or trilobed, spurred at base; spur geniculate in middle, clavate at tip. Column with two pollinia, pollinia attached to an ovate or horseshoe-shaped viscidium.

Distribution and ecology.

Calyptrochilum is a genus of three species distributed throughout tropical Africa, from sea level to 1200 m and found as epiphyte in humid evergreen forests, humid woodland, savannahs and as lithophyte.