ORCHIDACEAE.
FLOW. PL. AFR.
Pl. 26.
J. Fleischmann del.
Listrostachys vesicata Reichb. fil.
A Plant in flower. B Flower. C Flower in longitudinal section (the spur cut off near the base).
Fruit indehiscent, covered with large protuberances. Seeds without an aril. Flower-pairs with a bracteole.—Species 6. West Africa. Trachyphrynium Benth.
8. Inflorescence springing from the root-stock and separated from the 1-leafed stem, spike-like. Inner staminodes, at least one of them, equalling the outer.—Species 1. Equatorial West Africa. (Under Calathea
Mey.) Afrocalathea K. Schum.
Inflorescence terminating the leafy, sometimes very short stem or its branches. 9
9. Inner staminodes larger than the outer, the hooded one without a strap-shaped appendage. Bracts enclosing 2-4 sessile pairs of flowers each.
Inflorescence head-like. Stem branched.—Species 1. Equatorial West
Africa (Gaboon). Ataenidia Gagnepain
Inner staminodes smaller than the outer. 10
10. Sepals very unequal. Fruit dry, indehiscent, with adnate seeds. Inflorescence consisting of 2-3 spikes. Bracts enclosing one pair of flowers each, persistent.—Species 1. Equatorial Africa. Used in the preparation of salt. (Under Clinogyne Benth. or Donax Lour.) Halopegia K. Schum.
Sepals subequal. Bracts usually enclosing 2-4 pairs of flowers each. 11
11. Inflorescence head-like. Bracts persistent.—Species 2. West Africa.
(Under Calathea Mey.) Phrynium Willd.
Inflorescence raceme- or panicle-like. Bracts deciduous.—Species 25.
West Africa, Upper Nile, and Island of Réunion. Some species yield starch or fibre. (Donax Lour., including Marantochloa Griseb.) (Plate
25.) Clinogyne Salisb.
ORDER MICROSPERMAE