What is "microchilus"

Microchilus is a neotropical genus of about 75 species belonging to the orchid family (Orchidaceae).

It was first described by Carl Borivoj Presl in 1827, but the genus was not widely recognized until it was separated in 2002 by P. Ormerod from the genus Erythrodes s. str.. It corresponds to its New World species. The two genera were distinguished by the different characters of the column and pollinia. One needs to dissect the flowers to see the difference at generic level with Erythrodes.

In 2005, another 32 new species were added to this genus by Ormerod (see : Reference).

The horticultural abbreviation for this genus is Mcr.