Schismatoglottis Zoll. & Moritzi is a genus of over 150 species of generally diminutive herbs, sometimes rheophytes, in lowland and lower montane rain forests. The genus is centred on Borneo where the greatest diversity and greatest concentration of species occurs; its full range is from tropical southwestern China and Indochina to Malesia east to Vanuatu and a disjunct occurrence of three species in the Neotropics.
Many Schismatoglottis species have individuals with variegated leaves, though variegation is apparently entirely absent from certain species or species groups. Species which are highly ornamental have a considerable horticultural potential. At the present time rather few species are in cultivation outside of specialist research collections.
Schismatoglottis is still a poorly understood genus, but it is s presently the focus of a study aimed at resolving issues about its internal relationships. However, the last revision, that of Hay & Yuzammi (2000), set some informal parameters (termed ‘Groups’)and these are followed here with the additionof species’ complexes to provide fine-line delimitation of species complexes.
Schismatoglottis is a generic name form Greek schism, schismatos meaning separating, and glotta meaning tongue. The word tongue is referring to the variously deciduous upper part of the spathe that most of the species have.
