Abstract: Taxonomic history of two confused genera , Gastrochilus and Saccolabium, is briefly reviewed . It is concluded that they are distinct from each other . In Gastrochilus the lip is semiglobose-saccate with indistinct side-lobes and a much larger mid-lobe , the column is footless and the pollinia are porate , while in Saccolabium the lip is cylindrical-spurred with indistinct side-lobes and a small mid- lobe , the column has a short foot and the pollinia are solid . The former is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia and the latter is restricted to Java and Sumatra of Indonesia . As a result , a proposal is made to modify the conserved name Saccolabium and to exclude the previously listed synonym or rejected name Gastrochilus in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (No . 1822 .) .

Key words: Gastrochilus