e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1710928129309_20689699028470776" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - Microc<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1710928129310_34555892406318445" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>oelia
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Orchidaceae - Epidendroideae - Vandeae - Microcoelia Lindl.

Description:

  • 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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