Lindl.
Description
Peristylus goodyeroides is a terrestrial orchid with a broad tropical and subtropical Asian range, the 545 GBIF records spanning China, the Indian subcontinent, Nepal, Bhutan, much of Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea. It occupies grassy slopes, open forest, forest margins and scrub from the lowlands to around 2000 m. The photographed plant was found in the Rathong-Chu valley of Sikkim at 1200 m in August, during the monsoon flowering period typical of the species at lower Himalayan elevations.
It is a tuberous geophyte producing an erect leafy stem 20-60 cm tall from ellipsoid underground tubers. The few to several leaves are clustered toward the lower-middle stem, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate and sheathing at the base. The inflorescence is a many-flowered cylindrical raceme of small, greenish-white to pale green flowers subtended by lanceolate bracts. Each flower has connivent sepals and petals forming a hood, a small three-lobed lip with a short saccate or conical spur, and the column structure characteristic of the genus, lacking the distinct rostellar arms of related Habenaria.
The genus Peristylus, long confused with Habenaria, is distinguished by its short blunt spur and small viscidia, and P. goodyeroides is the widespread type-like species of the group. Its inconspicuous greenish flowers are pollinated by small insects, and the tuberous habit allows it to survive the seasonal dry period. Given its wide distribution and tolerance of disturbed grassland, it is among the more common members of the genus and is not regarded as threatened, though, like all orchids, it is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Author: Lindl. · Sources: POWO (Kew), GBIF, Flora of China, Flora of Bhutan, Pridgeon et al.: Genera Orchidacearum