known about that species. In 1976, it was described as 
Manniella hongkongensis and again in 1978 as Pelexia Hameri. 
Since that time I have seen additional material from Ceylon and 
from Guadeloupe in the West Indies. In all instances the plants 
were gathered in Botanical Gardens. Obviously a Pelexia from 
Java was too much for Schlechter in 1920! 
Stenorrhynchus cinnabarinus, a common Mexican plant, is 
another case based on wrong observations. The genus Stenor- 
rhynchos (correct spelling) was always characterized among 
others by the rigid, sharp-pointed rostellum. Yet, S. cinna- 
barinus has a soft, pliable, linear-oblong, blunt rostellum. Today 
this particular character, together with other associated criteria, 
as will be shown later, marks S. cinnabarinus as being amply 
distinct from Stenorrhynchos. 
In 1920, when Schlechter published his revision, he accounted 
for 280 species in 24 genera. Of these genera 16 were new and 7 
monotypic. The revision here accounts for 390 species in 44 
genera. Of these genera 14 are new and 13 monotypic. 
It has been said many times that a genus is not good, unless 
one can separate it from other genera through satisfactory key 
characters. At the beginning | did attempt to expand the key 
published by Schlechter, but after a third attempt I had to 
abandon the idea. The key to the genera published here is based 
on an entirely new approach which underwent no less than nine 
revisions. The structure of the rostellum is, of course, still a very 
important character, but no longer is used here to separate 
groups of genera. Perhaps one of the most unique divisional 
characters, which until now was totally overlooked, is the 
“terminal” versus “anterior” stigmata. Incidentally, both types 
of stigmata were included formerly in the genus Stenorrhynchos. 
The fusion of the dorsal sepal with the lateral sepals to form a 
sepaline tube or nectary is another important character; so are 
the presence or absence of a distinct column-foot and the pliable 
or rigid texture of the rostellum. 
In line with the requirements of the International Code of 
Botanical Nomenclature, every generic name, whether accepted 
or in synonymy, has been typified either for the first time or the 
previous typifications are cited. This method, as it were, 
2g 
