A New Orchid Genus, Danxiaorchis, and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Tribe Calypsoeae

Researchers have identified a new orchid genus, Danxiaorchis, discovered on Danxia Mountain in Guangdong, China. This discovery, supported by phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular data, reveals that the orchid represents an independent lineage within the tribe Calypsoeae of the subfamily Epidendroideae. The study employed Bayesian inference to analyze a dataset combining nuclear internal transcribed spacer, chloroplast matK, and rbcL gene fragments from 74 orchid genera, including 13 from Calypsoeae. The analysis strongly supports the division of Calypsoeae into four clades with 13 subclades (genera), aligning with its phytogeography. Danxiaorchis is distinguished by unique labellum features and cylindrical, fleshy seeds, placing it alongside Yoania under the subtribe Yoaniinae.

Zhai, J.-W., Zhang, G.-Q., Chen, L.-J., Xiao, X.-J., Liu, K.-W., Tsai, W.-C., Hsiao, Y.-Y., Tian, H.-Z., Zhu, J.-Q., Wang, M.-N., Wang, F.-G., Xing, F.-W., & Liu, Z.-J. (2013). A New Orchid Genus, Danxiaorchis, and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Tribe Calypsoeae. PLoS ONE, 8(4), e60371. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060371