Cheilotheca
Genus of flowering plants in the heath family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cheilotheca is a small genus of myco-heterotrophic plants in the family Ericaceae. They obtain their nutrients by parasitising fungi in the Russulaceae family.[1] As of 2025, the genus includes four species.[2]
| Cheilotheca | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Subfamily: | Monotropoideae |
| Tribe: | Monotropeae |
| Genus: | Cheilotheca Hook.f. |
Etymology
The genus was named by Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1876.[3] The name is derived from the Greek word "cheilos", meaning a lip or an edge. The "theca" is a Latin term, meaning covering or sheath. Together they essentially mean "lipped sheath".
Taxonomy
Based on morphological analyses, Cheilotheca has been placed in the Ericaceae subfamily Monotropoideae.[4] The exact placement of Cheilotheca within the Monotropoideae is still unknown, but morphologically the genus most closely resembles Monotropa and Monotropastrum.
List of species
- Cheilotheca crocea L.Wu & Yan Liu
- Cheilotheca khasiana Hook.f.
- Cheilotheca malayana Scort. ex Hook.f.
- Cheilotheca sleumerana H.Keng
Cheilotheca macrocarpa is sometimes included in this genus as well; it is synonymous with Monotropastrum humile.[5][6]
