MORPHOLOGY OF THISMIA AMERICANA 
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HULL BOTANICAL LABORATORY 182 
Norma E. PFEIFFER 
(WITH PLATES VII-XT) 
The family Burmanniaceae, chiefly tropical in distribution, is 
represented by about 50 species in EUBURMANNIAE, 2 in CORSIAE, 
and 18 in Tuism1Ar. The geographical range of the first named 
group is by far the widest; its representatives are found in all 
tropical regions and extend into the temperate zone. In North 
America, they are found as far north as Florida, Alabama, and 
even Virginia. CorsIAE are reported for New Guinea and Chile. 
THISMIAE are represented by two monotypic genera, Glaziocharis 
and Triscyphus, recorded for Brazil, and by 15 species of Thismia, 
if zygomorphic forms are included. 
Thismia is subdivided into four groups, Euthismia, Geomitra, 
Bagnisia, and Afrothismia. The Geomitra and Bagnisia divisions 
had been described as separate genera by earlier workers, but have 
recently been included in the genus Thismia. To date, the follow- 
ing species.in this genus have been described in these regions: 
Thismia Brunoniana Griffith (21), Tenasserim; T. Gardneriana J. Hooker 
(z), Ceylon; T. macahensis B. & H. (Ophiomeris macahensis Miers) (27), 
Rio de Janeiro; T. hyalina B. & H. (Myostoma hyalina Miers) (28), Organ 
Mts.; T. Aseroe (1. Ophiuris) Beccari (1), Borneo and Singapore; T. Neptunis 
Beccari (1), Sarawak; T. javanica J. J. Smith (9), Java; T. Winkleri Engler 
(7), Africa; T. crocea Ernst (Bagnisia crocea Becc.) (1), New Guinea; T. 
episcopalis F. Muell. (Geomitra episcopalis Becc.) (x), Borneo; T. clavigera F. 
Muell. (Geomitra clavigera Becc.) (1), Sarawak; T. clandestina Miq. (Sar - 
cosiphon clandestina Blume) (12), Java; T. Rodwayi F. Muell. (29), Tasmania; 
T. Hillii (Bagnisia Hillii Cheesem.) (3), New Zealand; T. Versteegii J. J- 
Smith (12), Java. 
Of these, the first 7 are of the Euthismia type, the eighth is the 
sole representative of Afrothismia, and the rest are of the Bagnisia 
or Geomitra group. The distribution of these is seen to be prac- 
tically restricted to the Polynesian Malay region. In view of 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 57] [122 
