View source for Malaxis

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Malaxis
|accepted_authority=Solander ex Swartz
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Prodr.,
|place=8, 119. 1788
|year=1788
}}
|common_names=Adder’s-mouth
|basionyms=
|synonyms=
|hierarchy=Orchidaceae;Orchidaceae subfam. Epidendroideae;Orchidaceae tribe Malaxideae;Malaxis
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Orchidaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>subfamily</small>[[Orchidaceae subfam. Epidendroideae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>tribe</small>[[Orchidaceae tribe Malaxideae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Malaxis]]</div></div>
|etymology=Greek malaxis, softening, in reference to soft and tender texture of leaves
|volume=Volume 26
|mention_page=page 497, 498
|treatment_page=page 627
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties="whole_organism growth form or habitat;whole_organism pubescence;whole_organism growth form"><b>Herbs,</b> terrestrial to semiepiphytic, glabrous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="root quantity;root texture;root width"><b>Roots </b>few, fibrous, 0.3–1 mm wide.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties="stem shape;stem shape;stem pubescence"><b>Stems </b>swollen at base into pseudobulb, ± globose, glabrous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="leaf atypical quantity;leaf quantity;base architecture or shape"><b>Leaves </b>1–3 (–5), with sheathing base;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape;blade shape">blade elliptic, ovate, or lanceolate.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="inflorescence position or structure subtype;raceme architecture;raceme arrangement;raceme architecture"><b>Inflorescences </b>terminal, racemes, spicate racemes, corymbose racemes, or subumbellate racemes;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="floral bract prominence;floral bract shape;floral bract shape;floral bract shape;floral bract shape;floral bract shape">floral bracts inconspicuous, lanceolate, subulate, or triangular-acuminate.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="flower quantity;flower orientation;flower orientation;flower orientation;flower orientation;flower architecture"><b>Flowers </b>2–160, resupinate or not, erect or spreading, sessile or minutely to strongly pedicellate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties="sepal orientation;sepal fusion;lateral sepal fusion;lateral sepal shape;lateral sepal shape;lateral sepal shape;lateral sepal shape;lateral sepal shape;lateral sepal some measurement;margin shape or vernation;margin shape or vernation">sepals spreading, distinct or lateral sepals basally connate, ovate, elliptic, or lanceolate, 1–6 mm, margins revolute or not;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="petal orientation;petal orientation;petal shape;petal shape;petal shape;petal width">petals spreading or recurved, filiform to linear, lanceolate, or triangular, usually much narrower than sepals;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="lip shape;lip shape;lip shape;lip shape;lip position;lip position;base shape;base shape">lip ovate or lanceolate, cordate, unlobed to 3-lobed, concave or saccate, widest proximal to middle, base auriculate or truncate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="column fusion">column free;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="anther position or structure subtype">anther terminal;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties="">pollinaria 4, waxy;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties="pollinarium quantity;pollinarium texture;pollinarium quantity;pollinarium quantity">1 pollinarium or 2 separate hemipollinaria;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s15" data-properties="viscidium coloration;viscidium coloration">viscidia yellow or orange.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s16" data-properties=""><b>Fruits </b>capsules;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s17" data-properties="stem presence;capsule presence;current-year ’ life cycle">previous year’s fruiting stem and capsules frequently present during current-year’s anthesis.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s18" data-properties="fruits capsule growth order;x chromosome quantity;x chromosome quantity;x chromosome quantity;x chromosome quantity;x chromosome quantity;x chromosome quantity">x = 14, 15, 18, ca. 20, ca. 21, 22.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=Widespread;mostly in Asia and East Indies
|discussion=<p>Species ca. 250 (10 in the flora).</p>
|tables=
|references=
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Leaves 2–3(–5).
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Leaves 1(–2, rarely).
|[[#key-0-4| > 4]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Lip 2.5–2.9(–4) mm, base prominently cordate-auriculate.
|[[Malaxis spicata|Malaxis spicata]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Lip 1.2–2.5 mm, base truncate or cuneate.
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Leaves basal; base of lip cuneate; flowers not resupinate.
|[[Malaxis paludosa|Malaxis paludosa]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Leaves cauline; base of lip truncate, 3-lobed, lateral lobes auriculate; flowers resupinate.
|[[Malaxis monophyllos var. brachypoda|Malaxis monophyllos var. brachypoda]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Lip 3-dentate at apex, middle tooth smallest, sometimes so inconspicuous that apex appears 2-dentate.
|[[#key-0-5| > 5]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Lip unlobed (with or without single point) at apex.
|[[#key-0-7| > 7]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Flowers apparently sessile, pedicels 1.3–1.7 mm; flowers not resupinate.
|[[Malaxis soulei|Malaxis soulei]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Flowers clearly pedicellate, pedicels 3.4–10(–13) mm; flowers resupinate.
|[[#key-0-6| > 6]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Lip with auricles 0.6 or more times as long as distance from base of lip to apex of middle lobe.
|[[Malaxis bayardii|Malaxis bayardii]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Lip with auricles less than 0.6 times as long as distance from base of lip to apex of middle lobe.
|[[Malaxis unifolia|Malaxis unifolia]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Lip base truncate with prominent, forward-directed auricles; flowers not resupinate.
|[[Malaxis monophyllos var. monophyllos|Malaxis monophyllos var. monophyllos]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Lip base cordate or hastate-auriculate; flowers resupinate.
|[[#key-0-8| > 8]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Inflorescences 1.5–3 cm; pedicels crowded.
|[[Malaxis corymbosa|Malaxis corymbosa]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Inflorescence 2.6–25 cm; pedicels not crowded.
|[[#key-0-9| > 9]]
|-id=key-0-9
|9
|Sepals 4–6 mm.
|[[Malaxis abieticola|Malaxis abieticola]]
|-id=key-0-9
|9
|Sepals 1.8–2.4 mm.
|[[#key-0-10| > 10]]
|-id=key-0-10
|10
|Sepals glabrous, not papillose; apex of lip broadly acuminate, auricles at base narrow and parallel.
|[[Malaxis porphyrea|Malaxis porphyrea]]
|-id=key-0-10
|10
|Sepals papillose, not glabrous; apex of lip narrowly acuminate, auricles at base broad and diverging.
|[[Malaxis wendtii|Malaxis wendtii]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Malaxis
|author=Paul M. Catling;Lawrence K. Magrath
|authority=Solander ex Swartz
|rank=genus
|parent rank=tribe
|synonyms=
|basionyms=
|family=Orchidaceae
|distribution=Widespread;mostly in Asia and East Indies
|reference=None
|publication title=Prodr.,
|publication year=1788
|special status=
|source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-fine-grained-xml.git/src/84153f6d59a0a91d69695978a64cee7560374f8e/V26/V26_1282.xml
|subfamily=Orchidaceae subfam. Epidendroideae
|tribe=Orchidaceae tribe Malaxideae
|genus=Malaxis
|anther position or structure subtype=terminal
|base architecture or shape=sheathing
|base shape=truncate;auriculate
|blade shape=lanceolate;ovate;lanceolate;ovate;elliptic
|capsule presence=absent
|column fusion=free
|current-year ’ life cycle=anthesis
|floral bract prominence=inconspicuous
|floral bract shape=triangular-acuminate;subulate;triangular-acuminate;subulate;lanceolate
|flower architecture=sessile or;minutely strongly pedicellate
|flower orientation=spreading;erect;not;resupinate
|flower quantity=2;160
|fruits capsule growth order=previous
|inflorescence position or structure subtype=terminal
|lateral sepal fusion=connate
|lateral sepal shape=lanceolate;elliptic;lanceolate;elliptic;ovate
|lateral sepal some measurement=1mm;6mm
|leaf atypical quantity=3;5
|leaf quantity=1;3
|lip position=proximal;middle
|lip shape=lanceolate cordate unlobed;3-lobed concave or saccate
|margin shape or vernation=not;revolute
|petal orientation=recurved;spreading
|petal shape=filiform;linear lanceolate or triangular
|petal width=usually much narrower
|pollinarium quantity=2;1;4
|pollinarium texture=ceraceous
|raceme architecture=subumbellate;spicate
|raceme arrangement=corymbose
|root quantity=few
|root texture=fibrous
|root width=0.3mm;1mm
|sepal fusion=distinct
|sepal orientation=spreading
|stem presence=absent
|stem pubescence=glabrous
|stem shape=globose;swollen
|viscidium coloration=orange;yellow
|whole_organism growth form=herb
|whole_organism growth form or habitat=terrestrial
|whole_organism pubescence=glabrous
|x chromosome quantity=22;21;20;18;15;14
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Orchidaceae tribe Malaxideae]]