Renanthera, Loureiro, 1790

Kocyan, Alexander & Schuiteman, André, 2014, New combinations in Aeridinae (Orchidaceae), Phytotaxa 161 (1), pp. 61-85 : 67-68

RENANTHERA

Renanthera Loureiro (1790: 516) . Type species: Renanthera coccinea Lour.

Nephranthera Hasskarl (1842: 145) . Type species: Nephranthera matutina (Poir.) Hassk.

Renantherella Ridley (1896: 354) . Type species: Renantherella histrionica (Rchb.f.) Ridl.

Ascoglossum Schlechter (1913: 974) Type species: Ascoglossum calopterum (Rchb.f.) Schltr.

Porphyrodesme Schlechter (1913: 982) Type species: Porphyrodesme papuana Schltr.

Species of Renanthera form a strongly supported clade including those of Renantherella , Ascoglossum and Porphyrodesme . The bispecific genus Renantherella has often been included in Renanthera , whereas the monotypic genera Ascoglossum and Porphyrodesme are still widely recognised as distinct genera, albeit closely related to Renanthera . These four genera are distinguished by minor floral characters only ( Fig. 1E, I ). In our analysis Renanthera + Renantherella form a paraphyletic group, and we consider it preferable to recognise a somewhat more broadly defined genus Renanthera by including the three others in it.

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).