SUBFAMILY Epidendroideae, TRIBE Vandeae, SUBTRIBE Sarcanthinae.

There are 20 some species of Gastrochilus distributed in India to Eastern Asia and south to Malaysia and the nearby islands.It is a monopodial short to long stemmed that grows epiphyticly and is similar to Aerides in appearance with coriaceous, distichous leaves giving rise to a short inflorescence with few fleshy flowers massed close together. This genus was described by David Don in 1825 and his type species was Gastrochilus calceolaris syn. Aerides calceolaris. This genus has been moved into Aerides and Saccolabbium through the years but Holttum, Garay and Seidenfadden keep it separate in reviews in 1964,72, and 88 respectively. Moderate shade and high humidity given to a wood mount or slat basket with free watering in it's growing season will result in a healthy plant. After blooming less water and fertilizer should be applied.

Gastrochilus Species List

Species names that are synonyms of correct species names are denoted with a ~.

The species list below was composed with information from the following sources.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids by Alec Pridgeon. Published by the Timber Press

The Manual Of Cultivated Orchid Species By Bechtel, Cribb and Launert, Published by The MIT Press

1. dalzellianus
- India - Flowers in Winter
2. dasypogon [Lindl.]Kuntze
- Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and India, Thailand - Alt 0-1000m - Flowers in Spring - Intermediate to warm - Treefern mounts - Year round water and fertilizer
3. formosanum
- Taiwan - Flowers in Spring - Warm - Medium light
4. fuscopunctatus Hayata
- Taiwan - flowers at any time - Cool to Intermediate - Tree fern mount - moderate to heavy shade - water and fertilize year round

~matsuran - See G. fuscopunctatus

5. intermedius [Griff ex Lindl.]Kuntze
- India - Alt 1000-1800m - Flowers in spring and summer - Intermediate - Cork mount - high humidity - even year round water - epiphyte in mixed forests
6. japonicus [Makino] Schltr.
- Japan and Taiwan - Alt 1000-2000m -Flowers in autumn - Montane forest - Epiphyte on pine or broad leafed tree - Intermediate - Treefern or wood mount - Even water year round
7. maculatus
- India - Flowers in Winter
8. platycalcaratus
- Burma - Flowers in Late Winter and Spring
9. rontabunensis
- Taiwan - Flowers in Summer

~somai - See G. japonicus

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