Synonyms: Hydrorchis D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. APNI*
Description: Terrestrial herbs, sympodial; roots subterranean, filamentous; tuberoids paired and often produced on the tips of stolons.
Leaves well-developed, green, basal, 1 per shoot, cylindrical with a longitudinal furrow, hollow, not petiolate.
Inflorescence racemose or spicate, many-flowered, terminal, emerging through a slit in the furrow in the upper part of the leaf. Flowers resupinate. Dorsal sepal free, cucullate, slightly longer and much broader than lateral sepals. Lateral sepals free. Lateral petals free, slightly shorter and much narrower than dorsal sepal. Labellum free, attached at base of column; lamina not lobed or weakly 3- or 4-lobed, with crenulate to rugulose [or entire] and often undulate margins, with paired basal and sometimes single median and/or apical calli [or lacking calli]. Column lacking free filament and style, stubby; column wings fused to column, expansive in upper half, narrow to broad. Column foot absent. Anther erect, parallel to the axis of the column, persistent. Pollinia 4, granular. Stigma entire. Rostellum ventral.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 11 species, Australia, New Zealand, Polynesia, Indon., eastern Asia. Australia: 10 species(8 species endemic), all States except N.T.
Text by R. R. Rowe
Taxon concept:
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Microtis angusii,
Microtis arenaria,
Microtis oblonga
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Labellum 3–4 mm long, at least two-thirds as long as the slender, elongate ovary | Microtis rara |
| Labellum 1–2.5 mm long, less than half as long as the turgid ovary | 2 |
| 2 | Labellum cordate, without apical callus, margins entire or undulate | Microtis parviflora |
| Labellum oblong, with an apical callus, margins more or less crenate, papillose or granular
Back to 1 | Microtis unifolia |
|
