Orchidaceae
Altensteinia
Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Genus Parent: Orchidaceae Status: Valid
Morphological Description
Diagnosis:
Altensteinia is closely related to the genera Aa and Myrosmodes but differ by having lips that are either flat and spoon-shaped or somewhat tubular usually by a constriction at the middle of the lip or by incurved lateral margins. The sepals and petals of Altensteinia typically curl backward giving prominence to the lip.
Vegetative Morphology
Habit: Terrestrials with fleshy fasciculate roots.
Leaves: Leaves rosulate or diminishing in size from the base and grading with foliaceous bracts, sessile, lanceolate.
Reproductive Morphology
Inflorescence: Inflorescences terminal pedunculate spicate racemes.
Flowers: Flowers not resupinate. Sepals and petals subsimilar, free or somewhat fused, often ciliate. Lip unlobed, concave, without callus. Column short, stout, club-shaped; pollinia 4, sessile on a V-shaped viscidium.