date base; pollinia clavate with a small, elliptic viscidium. Ovary 
cylindric or fusiform, sessile, hardly if ever twisted. 
Terrestrial plants. Roots fasciculate, tuberous, pubescent. 
Leaves several, basal, cuneate, commonly present during flower- 
ing time, but may also be in the process of withering. Stem erect, 
completely covered with approximate sheaths, terminated by a 
long, loosely many-flowered spike. Flowers small to minute. 
TYPE: Spiranthes Gonzalesii L.O.Wms. 
Two species native to Mexico. 
Index to species. 
Physogyne Gonzalesii (L.O.Wms.) Garay, comb. nov. 
Basionym: Spiranthes Gonzalesii L.O.Wms. in Bot. Mus. Leafl. 12:229, 
1946. 
Physogyne sparsiflora (C. Schweinf.) Garay comb. nov. 
Basionym: Spiranthes sparsiflora C. Schweinf. in Bot. Mus. Leafl. 4:108, 
1937. 
Physurus L.C.Rich. ex Lindl. 
pauciflorus (Poepp. & Endl.) Lindl. = Eltroplectris pauciflora (Poepp. & 
Endl.) Garay 
Pseudocranichis Garay, gen. nov. 
Etymology: Pseudo = false and Cranichis = generic name, 
signifying the mistaken assignment of the type 
species to the genus Cranichis. 
Sepala similia, ringentia; sepalo postico infero, concavo, 
columnae basin dorsaliter adnato; sepalis lateralibus praecipue 
basin breviter connatis, superis, leviter divaricatis, cum ungue 
labelli gibbum parvulum, rotundum vel subbilobum formanti- 
bus. Petala libera, apice erosula. Labellum superum unguicula- 
tum, conduplicatum, margine in medio lateribus columnae 
agglutinatum, basi sagittatum, apice grosse lacerato-bilobum; 
disco in medio 3-calloso, distincte pubescenti. Columna crassa, 
humilis, basi oblique extensa, sursum sensim dilatata, apice 
truncata, antice in medio costata, facie omnino puberula; stig- 
mata 2, lateralia, ephippioidea, quam rostellum longiora; rostel- 
lum truncatum, foveatum. Anthera erecta, ovato-oblonga, ob- 
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