Hapalorchis Schltr. in Fedde, Rep, Beih. 6: 30, 1919. 
Etymology: Hapalos = delicate, soft and orchis = orchid, in 
reference to the delicate texture of the entire 
plant. 
Sepals free, similar, parallel to subparallel, ringent; lateral 
sepals somewhat oblique, more or less gibbose at base, together 
with the base of the lip form a short, rounded mentum. Petals 
connivent with dorsal sepal and the interior margin firmly 
agglutinate to it. Lip sessile with a concave, excavate base which 
is often obscurely didymous, and marginally thickened without 
forming free calli; blade conduplicate-canaliculate with a termi- 
nal lobe. Column slender, papillose to pubescent in front, obliq- 
uely extended at base on top of ovary; stigmata 2, confluent, 
bilobed at apex; rostellum suberect, oblong-subtriangular to lig- 
ulate, pliable, longer than wide, excised at apex, clinandrium 
lobulate, infundibuliform. Anther erect, deeply concave to cu- 
cullate, with a cordate base, acuminate towards apex; pollinia 
clavate with an ovate to oblanceolate viscidium. Ovary sessile to 
subsessile. 
Terrestrial, delicate plants. Roots fleshy, tuber-like, originat- 
ing from distant to more or less approximate nodes. Leaves 
mostly congested at base, petiolate, vaginate at base. Stem 
ascending from a rhizomatous or subrhizomatous base, slender, 
terminated by a few-flowered, secund spike. Flowers delicate in 
texture, commonly outcrossing, rarely autogamous. 
TYPE: Hapalorchis cheirostyloides Schltr. 
9 species native to American tropics and subtropics. 
Index to species 
candidus (Krz!.) Schltr. 
cheirostyloides Schltr. 
Lindleyanus Garay 
lineatus (Lind].) Schltr. 
longirostris Schltr. 
micranthus (Barb. Rodr.) Hoehne 
pauciflorus Porto & Brade 
pumilus (C. Schweinf.) Garay 
rhombiglossus Pabst = Mesadenus rhombiglossus (Pabst) Garay 
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