# Sarcochilus

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"$^{:47}$ and cheilos meaning "lip",$^{:200}$ 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.
| Name | Common Name | Distribution | Elevation (m) |
| Sarcochilus argochilus D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem., 2006 | northern lawyer orchid | Queensland | 400–1,000 metres (1,300–3,300 ft) |
| Sarcochilus australis (Lindl.) Rchb.f. in Walp., 1863 | butterfly orchid, Gunn's tree orchid | New South Wales through south-eastern Victoria to northern Tasmania. | 0–1,000 metres (0–3,281 ft) |
| Sarcochilus borealis (Nicholls) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem., 1989 | small lawyer orchid | New South Wales and Queensland | 800–1,000 metres (2,600–3,300 ft) |
| Sarcochilus ceciliae F.Muell., 1865 | fairy bells | Queensland and New South Wales | 150–900 metres (490–2,950 ft) |
| Sarcochilus chrysanthus Schltr., 1913 | | New Guinea | 1,000–2,400 metres (3,300–7,900 ft) |
| Sarcochilus dilatatus F.Muell., 1859 | brown butterfly orchid | Queensland and New South Wales | 0–400 metres (0–1,312 ft) |
| Sarcochilus falcatus R.Br., 1810 | orange blossom orchid | Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria | 100–1,400 metres (330–4,590 ft) |
| Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii F.Muell., 1870 | ravine orchid | Queensland and New South Wales | 500–800 metres (1,600–2,600 ft) |
| Sarcochilus gildasii N.Hallé, 1986 | | New Caledonia | |
| Sarcochilus hartmannii F.Muell., 1874 | large boulder orchid | eastern Australia | 0–1,000 metres (0–3,281 ft) |
| Sarcochilus hillii (F.Muell.) F.Muell, 1860 | myrtle bells | Australia and New Caledonia | 0–800 metres (0–2,625 ft) |
| Sarcochilus hirticalcar (Dockrill) M.A.Clem. & B.J.Wallace, 1998 | harlequin orchid | Queensland | 300–650 metres (980–2,130 ft) |
| Sarcochilus iboensis Schltr., 1913 | | New Guinea | 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) |
| Sarcochilus koghiensis Schltr., 1911 | | New Caledonia | |
| Sarcochilus odoratus Schltr., 1913 | | New Guinea | 200 metres (660 ft) |
| Sarcochilus parviflorus Lindl., 1838 | southern lawyer orchid, green tree orchid | New South Wales | 600 metres (2,000 ft) |
| Sarcochilus rarus Schltr., 1906 | | New Caledonia | |
| Sarcochilus serrulatus D.L.Jones, 1972 | banded butterfly orchid | Queensland | 900–600 metres (3,000–2,000 ft) |
| Sarcochilus spathulatus R.S.Rogers, 1927 | small butterfly orchid | Queensland and New South Wales | 0–600 metres (0–1,969 ft) |
| Sarcochilus thycola (N.Hallé) M.A.Clem., D.L.Jones & D.P.Banks, 2019 | | New Caledonia | |
| Sarcochilus tricalliatus (Rupp) Rupp, 1951 | | Queensland | 200–800 metres (660–2,620 ft) |
| Sarcochilus uniflorus Schltr., 1913 | | New Guinea | 1,000–2,200 metres (3,300–7,200 ft) |
| Sarcochilus weinthalii F.M.Bailey, 1903 | blotched butterfly orchid | Queensland and New South Wales | 300–700 metres (980–2,300 ft) |

## 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.