Orchidaceae

Malaxis Sol. ex Sw.

First published in Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ.: 119 (1778)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Cosmopolitan.

Descriptions

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:1. 1995

Morphology General Habit
Dwarf terrestrial, lithophytic or epiphytic herb with creeping rhizomes or fusiform tuberous roots.
Morphology Stem
Stems leafy, ± swollen at the base; leaves thin-textured, plicate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence erect, terminal, racemose or subumbellate, few- to many-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers small, resupinate in the Flora Zambesiaca area, green, yellow-green, buff, orange or purple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals and petals free, similar or dissimilar, lip larger than tepals, entire or lobed, often ± auriculate at the base; often with dentate margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column short; stigma ventral; anther terminal; pollinia ovoid, 4 in 2 pairs joined at the base.
[FZ]

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
Small terrestrial lithophytic or epiphytic herbs arising from a creeping rhizome
Morphology Stem
Secondary stems erect, leafy, ± swollen at base, clustered or not, 1–several-leaved
Morphology Leaves
Leaves thin-textured, plicate, mostly ovate or broadly ovate, with sheathing ± elongate leaf-bases
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence terminal, erect, mostly densely many-flowered, racemose to subumbellate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers mostly small, non-resupinate, green, buff, orange, or purple
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals subsimilar or petals filiform, spreading
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip larger than other floral segments, flat, entire or lobed, ± auriculate at base on either side of column, margins ± toothed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column short, porrect, ± auriculate; stigma ventral; anther terminal, flap-like; pollinia ovoid, 4 in 2 pairs joined at base.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0