Citation: R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 320 (1810).

Derivation: Greek kalos, beautiful; cheilos, a lip.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Beardies.

Description:
Terrestrial glabrous herbs, with ovoid tubers; leaf solitary, linear, channelled; bracts sometimes leaflike.

Flowers resupinate, few or numerous, in a loose raceme; perianth-segments free; dorsal sepal broad, erect, hood-like; lateral sepals broad, acute, more or less spreading; petals shorter than the sepals, wide, erect or incurved; labellum exceeding the other segments in length, sessile, undivided, with an oblong base and triangular densely bearded lamina, with purple or metallic-coloured hairs; column short and broad, its wide wings produced behind but not beyond the anther; anther terminal, more or less horizontal, with a blunt beak, 2-celled; pollinia 4, or 2 each deeply 2-lobed, granular, unconnected with the rostellum.

Distribution:  About 9 species with 7 in Australia of which 2 occur in New Zealand and 1 in New Caledonia and New Guinea.

Biology: The S.Aust. species are all self-pollinated, although wasps have been observed on some flowers.

Key to Species:

1. Labellum glabrous	C. imberbis 2.
1. Labellum villous
2. No gland at the base of the column; labellum with a long strap-shaped apex	C paludosus 3.
2. Two glands at the base of the column
3. Base of the labellum glabrous or with several raised longitudinal callus-like lines, which may be more or less fused	C. campestris 1.
3. Base of the labellum covered with purple callus-like glands	C. robertsonii 4.

Author: Not yet available