7. Platythelys Garay, Bradea. 2: 196. 1977.
[Greek platy, broad, and thely(s), woman, alluding to the broad, flat rostellum]
James D. Ackerman
Herbs, terrestrial. Roots few, from nodes, villous. Stems elongate, terminal shoots ascending. Leaves cauline, petiolate, not articulate. Inflorescences terminal, racemes, pedunculate. Flowers resupinate, erect to somewhat spreading, small; sepals subsimilar, distinct and free, margins entire; petals connivent with sepals; lip 2-parted, fleshy, base spurred, ventricose, hemispheric, concave, margins notched, apex ± spreading to arcuate, rough; column subsessile, cuneate; stigmas 2, approximate, horizontal; rostellum flat, elliptic to suborbiculate, broad, apex notched to 2-denticulate, generally bursting; viscidium small; anther erect; pollinia sectile, attached to short caudicles; ovary short-pedicellate. Fruits capsules, ellipsoid to nearly cylindric.
Species 9 (1 in the flora): subtropics and tropics, North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.
SELECTED REFERENCE
Garay, L. A. 1977. Systematics of the Physurinae (Orchidaceae) in the New World. Bradea 2: 191–204.
