thickenings which may be extended along external margins; the 
margins of the blade in the middle agglutinate with sides of 
column. Column arcuate, expanded upwards, dorsally fused 
with median sepal, basally extended into an oblique foot, in 
front under stigmata pubescent; stigmata 2, separate, touching 
each other in center and inserted in the form of the letter “V" 
rostellum short, triangular with an apical fovea which is easily 
ruptured. Anther ovate-cucullate, acute to obtuse: pollinia cla- 
vate with a small, ovate viscidium. Ovary cylindric, sessile, 
twisted. 
Terrentrial, more or less tall plants. Roots fasciculate, thick, 
tuberous. Leaves petiolate with tightly imbricating, vaginate 
bases forming a prominent, pillar-like base below the spreading, 
rosulate blades. Stem erect, vaginate terminated by a more or 
less densely, many-flowered spike. Flowers medium-sized, 
arcuate. 
TYPE: Spiranthes seminuda Schltr. 
Three species native to Mexico and Guatemala. 
Index to species 
Kionophyton pyramidalis (Lindl.) Garay, comb. nov. 
Basionym: Spiranthes pyramidalis Lindl., Gen. and Sp. Orch. Pl. 473, 
1840. 
Kionophyton Sawyeri (Stand!. & b.O. Wms.) Garay, comb. nov, 
Basionym: Spiranthes Sawyeri Standl. & L.O.Wms. in Ceiba 3: 194, 
1953. 
Kionophyton seminuda (Schitr.) Garay, comb. nov. 
Basionym: Spiranthes seminuda Schltr. in Fedde, Rep. 3: 18, 1906. 
Lankesterella Ames, Sched. Orch. 4: 3, 1923. 
Etymology: In honor of Charles H. Lankester (1879-1969), 
an English naturalist and orchidophile who made 
his home in Costa Rica. 
Syn.: Cladobium Schltr. in Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 37 (2): 431, 
1920, not Lindl. 1836. 
Lectotype: Spiranthes ceracifolia Barb.Rodr. in hoc 
loco. 
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