Коэлогина: Описание рода орхидей

Genus of orchids

Coelogyne is a genus of 594 species, and is derived from the Ancient Greek words κοῖλος (koîlos, hollow) and γῠνή (gunḗ, woman), referring to the concave stigma. A few species are commonly known as "necklace orchids", because of their long, pendant, multi flowered inflorescence.

This genus lacks the saccate base of the labellum, a typical characteristic which is present in the other genera in the subtribe Coelogyninae. The free lip has high lateral lobes along the basal part of the labellum (hypochile) and smooth, toothed or warty keels. The pseudobulbs of one internode vary in size. They may be closely or widely spaced through sympodial growth along the rhizome. Inflorescences often show a small to very large number of showy, medium sized to large flowers. They may arise either from the apex of the newly completed pseudobulb at the end of the growing season (as in Coelogyne fimbriata), or may precede the new growth in early spring (as in Coelogyne cristata). The typical colour range of this genus is white, through tawny brown to green, and occasionally peachy tones. All species have four pollinia. They have often a sweet scent, attracting different kinds of pollinators, such as bees, wasps and beetles.

The cooler growing species such as Coelogyne fimbriata, Coelogyne ovalis, Colegyne fuliginosa, Coelogyne cristata, Coelogyne flaccida, Coelogyne nitida originate in the Himalayan region of India and southeast Asia.

The traditional taxonomy of the genus Coelogyne is still disputed. Coelogyne has been subdivided in 23 sections or subgenera by De Vogel (1994) and Clayton. Molecular data show that Coelogyne is paraphyletic and should be reorganised. It should include the genera Neogyna and Pholidota, and several sections should be removed, including Cyathogyne, Tomentosae, Rigidiformes, Veitchiae and Verrucosae. This new genus Coelogyne should then contain about 160 species. The type species is Coelogyne cristata.