Basiphyllaea

Schlechter

Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 17: 77. 1921.

Etymology: Greek basis, base, and phyllon, leaf, referring to the single basal leaf
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 607. Mentioned on page 495, 604.

Herbs, terrestrial, sympodial, glabrous. Roots few, velamentous, fleshy, villous. Stems subterranean tubers, rhizomes, and erect, delicate, aerial shoots. Leaves deciduous, 1–2, basal; blade articulate, conduplicate, margins entire. Inflorescences terminal, few-flowered racemes or sometimes branched, erect, scapose. Flowers resupinate; perianth not fully spreading, distinct and free; sepals lanceolate to linear-lanceolate; petals linear-elliptic, oblong-elliptic, or oblanceolate; lip 3-lobed, middle lobe small, obovate to subquadrangular, apex notched to retuse, lateral lobes clasping column, broad, rounded; disc lamellate; column elongate, arcuate, slender; anther terminal, operculate; pollinia 8, hard, waxy; ovary pedicellate; stigma entire. Fruits capsules, erect, ellipsoid.

Distribution

s Fla., West Indies.

Discussion

Species 6 (1 in the flora).