FZ.25. Didymoplexis Griff.

Holomycotrophic (formerly often wrongly referred to as saprophytic)terrestrial herbs, lacking leaves and chlorophyll. Roots tuberous. Stems erect, simple. Inflorescence a terminal raceme. Flowers small. Tepals connate for c.1/2 of their length, forming a tube. Lip free from tepals; spur 0. Pollinia 4. Pedicels elongating rapidly after fertilisation.

Comment: There are no species of Didymoplexis known from Zimbabwe but specimens belonging to a fairly recently described species in Gastrodia, another Holomycotrophic genus, used to be wrongly identified as Didymoplexis africa in literature.

Worldwide: c. 20 species in the Old World tropics; mostly in Asia but one in tropical Africa, one in South Africa and one in Madagascar.

Zimbabwe: 0 taxa.