Platythelys

Herbs, terrestrial. Roots few, from nodes, villous. Stems elongate, terminal shoots ascending. Leaves cauline, petiolate, not articulate. Inflorescences terminal, racemes, pedunculate. Flowers resupinate, erect to somewhat spreading, small; sepals subsimilar, distinct and free, margins entire; petals connivent with sepals; lip 2-parted, fleshy, base spurred, ventricose, hemispheric, concave, margins notched, apex ± spreading to arcuate, rough; column subsessile, cuneate; stigmas 2, approximate, horizontal; rostellum flat, elliptic to suborbiculate, broad, apex notched to 2-denticulate, generally bursting; viscidium small; anther erect; pollinia sectile, attached to short caudicles; ovary short-pedicellate. Fruits capsules, ellipsoid to nearly cylindric.

Distribution

Subtropics and tropics, North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species 9 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

Garay, L. A. 1977. Systematics of the Physurinae (Orchidaceae) in the New World. Bradea 2: 191–204.

Lower Taxa

Platythelys querceticola