Leafless epiphytic herbs with short monopodial stems and simple or branched roots, without pseudobulbs
Inflorescences
few to many, racemose; flowers small, white, often with green or orange tinge; bracts usually very small, sheathing at base
Sepals
free, usually ± connivent, lanceolate or ovate
Petals
free, similar to sepals, often smaller
Lip
entire or slightly 3-lobed at base, free, with cylindrical or globose spur
Gynostemium
fleshy; with operculate anther; pollinia 2, stipe club-shaped, viscidium linear or oblong; rostellum bifid
Capsule
ellipsoid to oblong
x = 12 (polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
Microcoelia
Lindl.
Lindley: 60 (1830)
Summerhayes: 140 (1943)
Schelpe: 48 (1966)
Harrison: 43 (1972)
Jonsson: 1 (1981)
Stewart et al.: 260 (1982)
Linder & Kurzweil: 437 (1999)
Angraecum
in part
Rolfe: 74 (1912)
Phillips: 243 (1951)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species ± 27, Africa and Madagascar
Southern Africa
: Species 2, in KwaZulu-Natal
References:
HARRISON, E.R. 1972.
Epiphytic orchids of southern Africa
. Natal Branch of the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa
JONSSON, L. 1981. A monograph of the genus
Microcoelia
(
Orchidaceae
).
Symbolae Botanicae Upsalensis
23 (4)
LINDER, H.P. & KURZWEIL, H. 1999.
Orchids of southern Africa
. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam
LINDLEY, J. 1830-1840.
The genera and species of Orchidaceous plants
. Ridgways, London
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
SUMMERHAYES, V.S. 1943. African orchids XIII.
Botanical Museum Leaflets of the Harvard University
11
STEWART, J., LINDER, H.P., SCHELPE, E.A. & HALL, A.V. 1982.
Wild orchids of southern Africa
. Macmillan, Johannesburg
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