e-Key v3 - Mystacidium
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Orchidaceae - Epidendroideae - Vandeae - Mystacidium Lindl.

Description :

  • Epiphytic monopodial herbs, small, with or rarely without leaves, without pseudobulbs
  • Leaves distichous, articulated to persistent sheath
  • Inflorescences axillary, 2-several-flowered; flowers small to medium-sized, white, green or yellowish white
  • Sepals and petals subequal, free, spreading or subconnivent
  • Lip entire or 3-lobed, spurred
  • Gynostemium short and broad; anther operculate; pollinia 2, globose, each attached to separate slender stipe and viscidium, viscidia rarely adherent; rostellum pendent, 3-lobed
  • Capsule oblong or fusiform
  • x = 12 (1 report)

Nomenclature:

  • Mystacidium Lindl.
    • Lindley in Hooker: 205 (1836)
    • Rolfe: 75 (1912)
    • Phillips: 243 (1951)
    • Schelpe: 40 (1966)
    • Harrison: 53 (1972)
    • Stewart et al.: 267 (1982)
    • Linder & Kurzweil: 439 (1999)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 9, mainly southern and south-central Africa
  • Southern Africa : Species 7, south to near Knysna (Western Cape)

References:

  • HARRISON, E.R. 1972. Epiphytic orchids of southern Africa . Natal Branch of the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa
  • HOOKER, W.J. 1836. Companion to the Botanical Magazine 2
  • LINDER, H.P. & KURZWEIL, H. 1999. Orchids of southern Africa . A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam
  • PHILLIPS, E.P. 1951. The genera of South African flowering plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 25
  • ROLFE, R.A. 1912. Order CXXXI. Orchideae . Flora capensis 5,3
  • SCHELPE, E.A. 1966. An introduction to the South African Orchids . Purnell & Sons, Cape Town, Johannesburg
  • STEWART, J., LINDER, H.P., SCHELPE, E.A. & HALL, A.V. 1982. Wild orchids of southern Africa . Macmillan, Johannesburg