Abstract

Eulophia (Eulophiinae; Epidendroideae) has been found in molecular phylogenetic studies to be non-monophyletic. Here, we propose to combine it with Acrolophia, Cymbidiella, Eulophiella, Geodorum, Oeceoclades and Paralophia and discuss the characters that have been used previously to discriminate among these genera, demonstrating that none of them is without exceptions. Given the incongruence found in the molecular phylogenetic studies between plastid and nuclear results, a broader circumscription of Eulophia is more likely to be stable. In total, 35 new combinations/names are required for the expansion of Eulophia to include these other genera.