Chysis
Encyclopedia
Chysis is a genus
of orchids (family
Orchidaceae), consisting of about 5 species
which originate from Mexico
to Peru
. Only two or three of these are commonly found in cultivation. The genus is abbreviated Chy in trade journals.
The genus Thorvaldsenia Liebm.
is generally included into Chysis.
-shaped, usually pendulous pseudobulb
s of several internodes, which may be fat or slender, depending on the species. The leaves
tend to be quite soft and papery, strongly ribbed and long. The leaves can take a good deal more light than is apparent from their thickness. This genus also tends to be partially deciduous
, though leaves are often retained for two years.
The inflorescence
s are multi-flower
ed and arise from the base of the pseudobulb with the new growth. Flower colour tends to range from white (as in Chysis bractescens
) to orange-yellow (as in Chysis aurea
and Chysis laevis
), and the pollinia often tend to be fused (hence the genus name Chysis which is Greek
for "melting").
Chysis are epiphytic
and grow under shady and damp conditions up to 1000 meters elevation. The plants should be grown under intermediate conditions, generally mounted due to their pendulous habit, though some species adapt well to pot culture. The plants are greedy should be watered and fed heavily while they are in active growth, though rather less once the seasons growth is completed. They should never be allowed to completely dry out, however, even during the rest period, and the pseudobulbs should never be seen to shrivel.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of orchids (family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Orchidaceae), consisting of about 5 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
which originate from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Only two or three of these are commonly found in cultivation. The genus is abbreviated Chy in trade journals.
The genus Thorvaldsenia Liebm.
Frederik Michael Liebmann
Frederik Michael Liebmann was a Danish botanist. Liebmann studied botany at the University of Copenhagen, although he never obtained a formal qualification. He went on study tours of Germany and Norway before becoming lecturer at the Danish Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College in 1837...
is generally included into Chysis.
Description
The genus is typified by elongate, spindleSpindle (textiles)
A spindle is a wooden spike used for spinning wool, flax, hemp, cotton, and other fibres into thread. It is commonly weighted at either the bottom middle or top, most commonly by a circular or spherical object called a whorl, and may also have a hook, groove or notch, though spindles without...
-shaped, usually pendulous pseudobulb
Pseudobulb
The pseudobulb is a storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes.It applies to the orchid family , specifically certain groups of epiphytic orchids, and may be single or composed of several internodes with evergreen or deciduous leaves along its length.In some species, it is...
s of several internodes, which may be fat or slender, depending on the species. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
tend to be quite soft and papery, strongly ribbed and long. The leaves can take a good deal more light than is apparent from their thickness. This genus also tends to be partially deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, though leaves are often retained for two years.
The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are multi-flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
ed and arise from the base of the pseudobulb with the new growth. Flower colour tends to range from white (as in Chysis bractescens
Chysis bractescens
Chysis bractescens is a species of orchid....
) to orange-yellow (as in Chysis aurea
Chysis aurea
Chysis aurea is a species of orchid. It is the type species of the genus Chysis....
and Chysis laevis
Chysis laevis
Chysis laevis is a species of orchid....
), and the pollinia often tend to be fused (hence the genus name Chysis which is Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
for "melting").
Chysis are epiphytic
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
and grow under shady and damp conditions up to 1000 meters elevation. The plants should be grown under intermediate conditions, generally mounted due to their pendulous habit, though some species adapt well to pot culture. The plants are greedy should be watered and fed heavily while they are in active growth, though rather less once the seasons growth is completed. They should never be allowed to completely dry out, however, even during the rest period, and the pseudobulbs should never be seen to shrivel.
List of species
- Chysis addita Dressler 2000
- Chysis aureaChysis aureaChysis aurea is a species of orchid. It is the type species of the genus Chysis....
Lindl. 1837 - Chysis bractescensChysis bractescensChysis bractescens is a species of orchid....
Lindl. 1840 - Chysis bruennowiana Rchb.f.Heinrich Gustav ReichenbachHeinrich Gustav Reichenbach was an ornithologist, botanist and the foremost German orchidologist of the 19th century...
& Warsz.Jozef WarszewiczJózef Warszewicz Ritter von Rawicz was a Polish botanist, plant and animal collector, and gardener.- Life :...
1857 - Chysis laevisChysis laevisChysis laevis is a species of orchid....
Lindl. 1840 - Chysis limminghei LindenJean Jules LindenJean Jules Linden , was a Belgian botanist and explorer, horticulturist and businessman, specialising in orchids, on which subject he wrote a number of books....
& Rchb.f. 1858 - Chysis orichalcea Dressler 2000
- Chysis pluricostata Dressler 2006
- Chysis tricostata Schltr. 1922
- Chysis violacea Dressler 2003