Centrochir

Centrochir is a genus of Neotropical flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. The genus is characterized by its distinctive floral morphology, featuring a strongly zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical) corolla with a prominent spur or pouch at the base. Species within Centrochir are typically epiphytes or terrestrial herbs found in moist forests.

Centrochir plants have opposite leaves and produce tubular or funnel-shaped flowers in shades of red, orange, or yellow. The flowers are adapted for pollination by hummingbirds or other specialized pollinators. The fruit is a capsule containing numerous small seeds.

The genus is relatively small, comprising only a handful of described species. The distribution of Centrochir is centered in Central America and northern South America, specifically in countries such as Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador.

Botanical classification places Centrochir within the subfamily Gesnerioideae of the Gesneriaceae family. Further research is ongoing to clarify the phylogenetic relationships within the genus and its relationship to other closely related genera within Gesneriaceae. The genus name Centrochir is derived from Greek words, alluding to the spur or pouch at the flower base.