Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Vanilla dilloniana Vanilla barbellata Cleistes bifaria	Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi

Herbs, terrestrial. Roots 1–2 mm wide, sometimes with wider nodular tuberoids, frequently rather brittle. Leaves 1–3 on vegetative plants, 1 (–2) centrally on flowering-stems, sessile; blade oblong-lanceolate or elliptic-oblong. Inflorescences terminal,1–3-flowered; floral bracts leaflike. Flowers resupinate, erect, sessile; sepals olive-green, brown, or maroon, linearlanceolate, apex acuminate; petals rose-pink to white, spatulate or oblanceolate, usually forming tube with lip; lip rose-pink to white, with rose or purple veins, oblanceolate, 3-lobed, middle lobe medially winged or tuberculate, central keel grooved from base to 3/4 its length; column free, white, apex lacerate, truncate; anther terminal, hinged; pollinia 2, without viscidium, soft, mealy; pollen-grains in tetrads. Fruits capsules, erect, cylindric.

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical regions, mostly South America, 2 in Central America

Discussion

Species ca. 25 (2 in the flora).

Authors of some neotropical floras have questioned the separation of Cleistes from Pogonia; most recent North American authors have followed O. Ames (1905–1922) in recognizing Cleistes, and we prefer to do the same until a detailed study suggests otherwise. The two North American species can reproduce asexually by root shoots.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Cleistes bifaria, Cleistes divaricata

Key

1	Column 13–19 mm; lip 21–33(–38) mm.	Cleistes bifaria
1	Column 21–25(–29) mm; lip (26–)34–55 mm.	Cleistes divaricata

"/4" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.