Chysis

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Asparagales

Familia: Orchidaceae
Subfamilia: Epidendroideae
Tribus: Epidendreae
Subtribus: Chysinae
Genus: Chysis
Overview of species (13)

C. addita – C. archilae – C. aurea – C. bractescens – C. bruennowiana – C. chironii – C. domei – C. guimaraensis – C. laevis – C. limminghei – C. tribouillieri – C. tricostata – C. violacea
Nothospecies: (1)

C. × confusa
Name

Chysis Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. 23: t. 1937 (1837)

Type species: Chysis aurea Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. 23: t. 1937 (1837)

Synonymy

Heterotypic
Thorvaldsenia Liebm., Bot. Not. 1844: 103 (1844)

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Northern America
Mexico
Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Southwest, Mexico Southeast.
Southern America
Central America
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama.
Northern South America
Venezuela.
Western South America
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Lindley, J. (1837) Edwards's Botanical Register 23: t.
Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.W. & Rasmussen, F.N. (eds.) 2006. Genera Orchidacearum Volume 4 Epidendroideae (Part one); page 173 ff., Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-850712-7. Reference page.

Additional references

Chiron, G. & Archila Morales, F. (2010) Conspectus neotropicus mesoamericanus. Le genre Chysis Lindley (Orchidaceae). Richardiana 10: 161–192.

Links

Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2021. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Taxon: Chysis. Accessed: 2021 May 9.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Chysis in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2021 May 9. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Chysis in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2021 May 9. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2021. Chysis. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2021 May 9. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Chysis. Published online. Accessed: 9 May 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Chysis. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 9 May 2021.

Vernacular names

перем коми: Хисис
коми: Хисис
олык марий: Хисис
кырык мары: Хисис
русский: Хизис
удмурт: Хисис

Chysis is a genus of orchids (family Orchidaceae), consisting of 10 currently accepted species (as of May 2014) which originate in the region from Mexico to Peru.[2] Only two or three of these are commonly found in cultivation. The genus is abbreviated Chy in trade journals.

Description

The genus is typified by elongate, spindle-shaped, usually pendulous pseudobulbs 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 inflorescences are multi-flowered 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.
List of species

Species accepted as of May 2014:[2]

Image	Name	Distribution	Elevation (m)
	Chysis addita Dressler 2000	Chiapas, Guatemala	1,250 metres (4,100 ft)
	Chysis archilae Chiron 2010	Guatemala	400 metres (1,300 ft)
	Chysis aurea Lindl. 1837	Panama, Colombia, Venezuela	700–1,700 metres (2,300–5,600 ft)
	Chysis bractescens Lindl. 1840	Oaxaca, Tabasco, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua	800–1,500 metres (2,600–4,900 ft)
	Chysis bruennowiana Rchb.f. & Warsz. 1857	Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru	600–1,200 metres (2,000–3,900 ft)
	Chysis chironii Archila 2010	Guatemala	1,500–1,700 metres (4,900–5,600 ft)
	Chysis laevis Lindl. 1840	Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua	1,800 metres (5,900 ft)
	Chysis limminghei Linden & Rchb.f. 1858	Guatemala, Tabasco	0 metres (0 ft)
	Chysis tricostata Schltr. 1922	Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras	1,360 metres (4,460 ft)
	Chysis violacea Dressler 2003	Panama	500–1,000 metres (1,600–3,300 ft)

References

C. Van den Berg "Artificial key to the subtribes of Epidendreae" in Pridgeon, Crib, Chase & Rasmussen, Eds.Genera Orchidacearum Volume 4 Epidendroideae (Part one) p. 164. Oxford University Press, 2005
Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families