!Chiloschista usneoides (Rchb. f.) Lindl. 1832 Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl

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Common Name Lichen-Like Chiloschista

Flower Size .2 to 1/2" [.5 to 1.3 cm]

Found in the western Himalayas, eastern Himalayas, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Thailand at elevations of 1600 to 1700 meters as an almost leafless, hot to warm growing, miniature epiphyte or lithophyte with many long, twisted, tufted roots and blooms in the summer on an erect, pubescent,flexuous, 2.2" to 4.4" [5.5 to 11 cm] long, racemose inflorescence with a few fragrant flowers.

Synonyms Epidendrum usneoides D.Don 1825; *Sarcochilus usneoides Rchb. f. 1863; Thrixspermum usneoides (Rchb. f.) Rchb. f. 1868

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Xenia Orchidaceae vol 2 Rchb.f 1865 as Thrixspermum usenoides; The Orchids of North-Western Himalaya Vol IX Part II Duthie 1906 as Sarcochilus usenoides AOS Bulletin Vol 55 NO 3 1986 drawing; Beautiful Orchids of Nepal Rajbhandari & Bhattarai 2001; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2002; AOS Bulletin Vol 72 No 3 2003 photo; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007

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