Chiloschista lunifera [Rchb.f]J.J. Sm. 1905 Photo courtesy of Dale and Deni Borders

Another Color Form Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, plant grown by Gerardus Staal

Plant with Incidental leaves Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

To or

Common Name The Moon Chilochista - In Thailand - Phraya rai bai

Flower Size 1/2" [1.2 cm]

A small, leafless, hot to cool growing epiphyte found in the easten Himalayas, India, Assam, Burma, Thailand and Laos at elevations of 150 to 600 meters with gray roots and an occasional small, deciduous leaf that blooms in the fall or winter on an erect, pubescent 3 to 12" [7 to 30 cm] long raceme arising from the mass of gray green roots with up to 20 fragrant flowers.

Synonyms Chiloschista indica J.J. Sm. 1913; Chiloschista lunifera J.J. Sm 1905; Sarcochilus luniferus (Rchb. f.) Benth. ex Hook. f. 1889; *Thrixspermum luniferum Rchb. f. 1868

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Burma Grant 1895/1995 as Sarcochilus luniferus; Die Orchideen Von Java J.J.Sm. 1905 in error, actually C javanica; The Orchids of Thailand Seidenfaden & Smitinand 1959 drawing, photo fide; Minature Orchids Northen 1980; A Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand Vaddhanaphuti 2001; Orchid Flora Of Kamrup District Assam Iswar Chandra Barua 2001; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; The Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb 7 Laurent 1992; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids Pridgeon 1992; AOS Bulletin Vol 72 No 3 2003 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 74 No 4 2005 photo; Flora's Orchids Nash & La Croix 2005; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1987; The Orchids of Penninsular Malaysia and Singapore Seidenfaden & Wood 1992 as C. javanica