20. Stenorrhynchos Richard ex Sprengel, Syst. Veg. 3: 709. 1826.
[Greek stenos, narrow, and rhynchos, snout, alluding to the narrow rostellum on the column]
Paul M. Catling & Paul Martin Brown
Herbs, perennial, terrestrial. Roots fascicled, fleshy. Stems with foliaceous sheaths. Leaves flat at maturity. Inflorescences densely flowered racemes. Flowers resupinate, without mentum or spur; perianth parts distinct and free, basally connivent, forming tube, apically recurved; lip elliptic-lanceolate, base truncate or slightly cordate, apex free, acute; calli barely raised on either side of basal claw extending onto base of lamina of lip where hairy; column not inflated adaxially at base, extended obliquely on top of ovary only very slightly; anther entire; viscidium narrowly elliptic, sheathing rostellum; stigma nearly terminal; rostellum well developed, needlelike. Fruits capsules.
Species 9 (1 in the flora): tropical regions, Western Hemisphere.
SELECTED REFERENCE
Ames, O. and C. Schweinfurth. 1935. Nomenclatural studies in Malaxis and Spiranthes. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 3: 113–133.
