# Cheilotheca

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cheilotheca
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cheilotheca.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheilotheca
> Source revision: 1300109970
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

***Cheilotheca*** is a small [genus](/source/Genus) of [myco-heterotrophic](/source/Myco-heterotrophy) plants in the family [Ericaceae](/source/Ericaceae). They obtain their nutrients by parasitising fungi in the [Russulaceae](/source/Russulaceae) family.[1] As of 2025, the genus includes four species.[2]

## Etymology

The genus was named by [Joseph Dalton Hooker](/source/Joseph_Dalton_Hooker) in 1876.[3] The name is derived from the Greek word "cheilos", meaning a lip or an edge. The "[theca](/source/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](/source/Ericaceae) subfamily Monotropoideae.[4] The exact placement of *Cheilotheca* within the Monotropoideae is still unknown, but morphologically the genus most closely resembles *[Monotropa](/source/Monotropa)* and *[Monotropastrum](/source/Monotropastrum)*.

## List of species

- *[Cheilotheca crocea](/source/Cheilotheca_crocea)* L.Wu & Yan Liu
- *[Cheilotheca khasiana](/source/Cheilotheca_khasiana)* Hook.f.
- *[Cheilotheca malayana](/source/Cheilotheca_malayana)* Scort. ex Hook.f.
- *[Cheilotheca sleumerana](/source/Cheilotheca_sleumerana)* H.Keng

*[Cheilotheca macrocarpa](/source/Cheilotheca_macrocarpa)* is sometimes included in this genus as well; it is synonymous with *[Monotropastrum humile](/source/Monotropastrum_humile)*.[5][6]

## References

1. Bidartondo, Martin I. (2005). ["The evolutionary ecology of myco-heterotrophy"](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01429.x). *New Phytologist*. **167** (2): 335–352. [Bibcode:2005NewPh.167..335B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005NewPh.167..335B). [doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01429.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01429.x). [PMID 15998389](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15998389)

1. ["Cheilotheca Hook.f. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science"](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:27122-1)

1. Bentham, G., Hooker, J.D. (1876) Genera Plantarum Vol. 2. Reeve & Co., London.

1. Kron, K.A., Judd, W.S., Stevens, P.F., Crayn, D.M., Anderberg, A.A., Gadek, P.A., Quinn, C.J., Luteyn, J.L. 2002. Phylogenetic classification of Ericaceae: molecular and morphological evidence. *Botanical Review* **68**: 335-423.

1. ["Cheilotheca macrocarpa (Andres) Y.L.Chou | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science"](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:908503-1)

1. ["Cheilotheca in Flora of Taiwan Checklist @efloras.org"](http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=101&taxon_id=106583). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240222142544/http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=101&taxon_id=106583) 22 February 2024 at the Wayback Machine.

## External links

- [*Cheilotheca*](http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Ericaceae/Cheilotheca/) at [*The Plant List*](http://www.theplantlist.org/) ([archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241213181450/http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Ericaceae/Cheilotheca/))
- [*Cheilotheca*](http://eol.org/pages/8769967/overview) at the [*Encyclopedia of Life*](http://eol.org/) ([archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241213173445/https://eol.org/pages/8769967))
- [*Cheilotheca*](http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=101&taxon_id=106583) at the [*Flora of Taiwan Checklist*](http://www.efloras.org/flora_page.aspx?flora_id=101) ([archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240222142544/http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=101&taxon_id=106583))
- [Cheilotheca](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:27122-1) at [*Plants of the World Online*](https://powo.science.kew.org/)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cheilotheca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheilotheca) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheilotheca?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.