Sarcochilus, commonly known as butterfly orchids or fairy bells is a genus of about twenty species of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Plants in this genus are epiphytes or lithophytes and usually have short stems, leaves arranged in two rows, and flowers arranged along unbranched flowering stems. Most species are endemic to Australia but some are found in New Guinea and New Caledonia.
Description Orchids in the genus Sarcochilus are epiphytic or lithophytic monopodial herbs with fibrous stems and long, relatively broad leaves folded lengthwise and arranged in two ranks. The flowers are scented, resupinate and arranged on an unbranched flowering stem, each flower on a short thin stalk. The sepals and petals are free from and similar to each other except that the petals are usually smaller than the sepals. The labellum is hinged to the column and has three lobes. The sides lobes are relatively large and upright, sometimes curving inwards. The structure of the middle lobe varies between species.
Taxonomy and naming The genus Sarcochilus was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. The name Sarcochilus is derived from the Ancient Greek words sarx meaning "flesh" and cheilos meaning "lip", referring to the fleshy labellum of these orchids.
The genus Sarcochilus has been shown to be non-monophyletic.
Species The following is a list of Sarcochilus species recognised by Plants of the World Online as of March 2023. The common names in the list below are those used by David Jones. Image Name Common name Distribution Elevation (m) Sarcochilus argochilus D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem., 2006 northern lawyer orchid Queensland Sarcochilus australis (Lindl.) Rchb.f. in Walp., 1863 butterfly orchid, Gunn's tree orchid New South Wales through south-eastern Victoria to northern Tasmania. Sarcochilus borealis (Nicholls) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem., 1989 small lawyer orchid New South Wales and Queensland Sarcochilus ceciliae F.Muell., 1865 fairy bells Queensland and New South Wales Sarcochilus chrysanthus Schltr., 1913 New Guinea Sarcochilus dilatatus F.Muell., 1859 brown butterfly orchid Queensland and New South Wales Sarcochilus falcatus R.Br., 1810 orange blossom orchid Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii F.Muell., 1870 ravine orchid Queensland and New South Wales Sarcochilus gildasii N.Hallé, 1986 New Caledonia Sarcochilus hartmannii F.Muell., 1874 large boulder orchid eastern Australia Sarcochilus hillii (F.Muell.) F.Muell, 1860 myrtle bells Australia and New Caledonia Sarcochilus hirticalcar (Dockrill) M.A.Clem. & B.J.Wallace, 1998 harlequin orchid Queensland Sarcochilus iboensis Schltr., 1913 New Guinea Sarcochilus koghiensis Schltr., 1911 New Caledonia Sarcochilus odoratus Schltr., 1913 New Guinea Sarcochilus parviflorus Lindl., 1838 southern lawyer orchid, green tree orchidNew South Wales Sarcochilus rarus Schltr., 1906 New Caledonia Sarcochilus serrulatus D.L.Jones, 1972 banded butterfly orchid Queensland Sarcochilus spathulatus R.S.Rogers, 1927 small butterfly orchid Queensland and New South Wales Sarcochilus thycola (N.Hallé) M.A.Clem., D.L.Jones & D.P.Banks, 2019 New Caledonia Sarcochilus tricalliatus (Rupp) Rupp, 1951 Queensland Sarcochilus uniflorus Schltr., 1913 New Guinea Sarcochilus weinthalii F.M.Bailey, 1903 blotched butterfly orchid Queensland and New South Wales
Use in horticulture The term "sarco" is often used to refer to a number of orchid genera, including Sarcochilus. Most species of Sarcochilus are easily grown but some are very difficult. They need bright light, high humidity and free air movement.
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