Genus Malleola

Malleola J.J.Sm. & Schltr.,
Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1913) 979

Monopodial epiphytes. Stem elongated. Leaves few to many, arranged in two rows, sheathing at the base, spreading in one plane, glabrous, deciduous, duplicate, leathery. Inflorescence lateral, a few- to many-flowered raceme or rarely a panicle, usually pendulous. Flowers small to very small, resupinate, often yellow with red-brown markings. Sepals free. Petals free, more or less intermediate in shape between the dorsal sepal and the lateral sepals. Lip adnate to the column, apex recurved, spurred; spur inside without callosities, usually abruptly narrowed near the apex. Column-foot absent. Pollinia 2, solid, entire or shortly cleft, caudicles absent, stipe present, viscidium present.

South-east Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea. About 20 species; in New Guinea c. 4 species.

Epiphytes in lowland and lower montane forest.

Small plants with usually horizontally spreading stems and pendulous inflorescences. The small flowers are similar to those of Robiquetia; they differ in that the apex of the lip is recurved and the pollinia are not deeply cleft. Not often cultivated.

Species included on this CD-ROM:
Malleola cladophylax
Malleola gautierensis
Malleola palustris
Malleola wariana