FZ.29. Malaxis Sol. ex Sw.

Description of the genus

Malaxis and Liparis are dwarf, mostly terrestrial orchids with creeping rhizomes or fusiform tuberous roots, broad plicate (pleated) leaves and terminal inflorescences, flowering with the leaves. The flowers are small and the lip (the unpaired petal) is without a spur. Malaxis differs from Liparis in having a shorter column without basal auricles of the lip on either side of the column.

Comment: The subfamilies of the Orchidaceae are defined by the nature of the organs (anthers and pollinia) containing the pollen. Adaptation to pollination by specific insect pollinators is what characterizes the family. Malaxis belongs in the Subfamily Epidendroideae, together with the epiphytic orchids and a small number of terrestrial genera, including Eulophia and Nervilia.

Worldwide: C. 300, cosmopolitan.

Zambia: 6 taxa.

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Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsProvincesContent
katangensis Summerh. var. katangensis WNwDescription, Image
katangensis Summerh. var. pygmaea (Summerh.) P.J.Cribb [End][VU]WNwDescription
maclaudii (Finet) Summerh. [DD]W,CCb,CDescription, Image
prorepens (Kraenzl.) Summerh.WCbDescription
schliebenii (Mansf.) Summerh. WCbDescription, Image
weberbaueriana (Kraenzl.) Summerh.WNwDescription

Other sources of information about Malaxis:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Malaxis
Flora of Malawi: Malaxis
Flora of Mozambique: Malaxis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Malaxis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Malaxis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Malaxis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Malaxis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Malaxis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Malaxis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Malaxis
JSTOR Plant Science: Malaxis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Malaxis
Plants of the World Online: Malaxis
Tropicos: Malaxis
Wikipedia: Malaxis

Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Genus page: Malaxis.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=429, retrieved 29 March 2024

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