Rhizomes creeping, branched, woody. Pseudostems robust. Leaves sessile or petiolate; ligule conspicuous; leaf blade lanceolate. Inflorescence arising from rhizomes near base of pseudostems, often ca. 1/2 embedded in ground, an ovoid or fusiform spike; peduncle usually short, clothed with 2-ranked, scalelike sheaths; bracts densely imbricate, outer ones leathery, sterile, inner ones membranous, slimy, 1-flowered; bracteoles open, not tubular. Calyx tubular, widened distally, split on 1 side, apex 3-toothed or 2-lobed. Corolla tube slender, apex usually incurved at a right angle; lobes 3, central one erect, hooded, lateral ones spreading, partly adnate to labellum. Lateral staminodes reduced to small teeth at base of labellum or absent. Labellum equaling corolla lobes, narrow, concave, and fleshy, triangular, ovate, or hastate when flattened, base auriculate, apex oblong-rounded. Filament short or absent; connective appendage orbicular or absent. Ovary oblong, 3-loculed. Style slender; stigma funnelform. Stylodes 2--8, united or free. Capsule subcylindric or nearly 3-angled, smooth; pericarp tough, splitting irregularly near base. Seeds black, many angled, base covered with white aril.
More
Rhizome often on stilt roots. Leaf shoots many-bladed. Inflorescence borne separately from leaves, arising at ground level, surrounded by an involucre of rigid sterile bracts; fertile bracts free, membranous, each subtending a single flower; bracteoles open to base. Corolla tube long and slender, hidden within bracts; lobes ±equal. Labellum rather rigid, often fleshy. Lateral staminodes absent or small teeth or swellings at base of labellum. Stamen with a filament; anther crested or not. Ovary trilocular. Fruit an irregularly dehiscent capsule.
Home
