Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Heteranthera mexicana Lepanthopsis melanantha Pleurothallis gelida Polystachya concreta Monochoria vaginalis Heteranthera dubia	John Myers Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi John Myers John Myers

Herbs epiphytic, lithophytic, or terrestrial. Roots velamentous. Stems slender or pseudobulbous, clustered or distant along rhizome. Leaves 1–several, conduplicate, thin [fleshy], leathery. Inflorescences terminal, simple or paniculate racemes with ± secund branches; peduncle enclosed by scarious sheaths. Flowers few-to-many, mostly not resupinate, generally small; dorsal sepal free; lateral sepals adnate to column-foot forming mentum; petals smaller than sepals, free; lip 3-lobed [simple], adnate to and articulate with column-foot, forming part of mentum; disc usually callose, pubescent; column semiterete, short; foot distinct; stigmas confluent, transverse under rostellum, viscidium ovate to elliptic; anther terminal, incumbent, operculate; pollinia 4, globose or ellipsoid, hard, waxy, attached to single short stipe. Fruits capsules.

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical regions, especially rich in Africa, s Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands

Discussion

Species 150 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Polystachya concreta

"thin" is not a number.