ORCHIDACEAE
Didymoplexis Griff., Calcutta J. Nat. Hist. 4:383, t.17 (1844).
By: Lokesh R. Shakya and Sanjeev K. Rai
Taxon Description
Plants terrestrial, leafless, mycrotrophic. Rhizomes horizontal, tuberous. Inflorescence a few- to many-flowered raceme arising from tuberous rhizome. Flowers small, resupinate, usually brownish or whitish. Sepals and petals all mutually connate for at least half their length, lateral sepals connate at the base with petals. Lip adnate to the column foot, not lobed, spurless. Column elongate, narrow, 2-winged towards the top, with short foot. Anther terminal, erect, 2-chambered. Pollinia 2, granular, without caudicle and gland.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide about 20 species, distributed in Tropical and S Africa to W pacific. One species in Nepal.
1. Didymoplexis pallens Griff., Calcutta J. Nat. Hist. 4:383, t.17 (1844).
Plants ca. 10 cm tall. Tuber fusiform, 4.5 X 0.5 cm. Stem erect, leafless, cylinder, glabrous, distantly two sheathed; sheath 3 mm, acute, light brown, tubular. Inflorescence laxly 4- or 5-flowered; floral bracts minute. Flowers opening in succession, campanulate, bilabiate, 2 cm; uniformly white. Ovary brown. Pedicel and ovary 10 mm. Lateral sepals connate, 2-lobed, lobes obtuse, 6 X1.5 mm. Dorsal sepal adnate to petals forming a hood, free portion 3-lobed, each lobe ovate to deltoid. Lip deltoid, spreading, truncate in front, entire, base cuneate, 8.5 X 6 mm; disk with numerous small papillae. Column curved, apex 2-winged, 5 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya and S E Asia.
Altitude: 150 m.
Ecology: Growing on humus rich soil with newly decaying leaves with the poor light.
Flowering: April.