Malaxis Soland. ex Sw.
軟葉蘭屬
Terrestrial or rarely epiphytic herbs. Stems solitary or tufted, slender or rather thick and fleshy, producing new shoots at base or from various positions toward apex, sometimes without stem but with pseudobulbs. Leaves one or more, radical or cauline, often ovate, usually oblique at base and continuous to sheath, fleshy or membranaceous, sometimes plicate, margin entire, flat or wavy-crisped. Inflorescences terminal, racemes; bracts narrowed, often reflexed. Flowers numerous, green or purple, not resupinate; sepals spreading or reflexed; petals usually much narrower than sepals; lip adnate to base of column, consisting of a narrow apical part and a broad, +/- auriculate base, apical part often lobed or toothed, base sometimes with auricles stretching backwards and surrounding column; disc often shallowly concave at base; column very short, with distinct arms apically; anther terminal or subdorsal, incumbent or more or less erect, 2-celled; pollinia 4, waxy, oblong or somewhat clavate, often connate into pairs in each cell, without caudicle and viscidium; stigma entire, often narrow and slit-like; rostellum not protruding.
More than 300 species, cosmopolitan, chiefly in tropical and subtropical areas. Seven species in Taiwan.
