Microcoelia aphylla (Thouars) Summerh. 1936 Photo courtesy of © Lourens Grobler

Inflorescence Photo courtesy of Patrick Henschke

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Common Name The Leafless Microcoelia

Flower Size .1 to .2" [2 to 3mm]

Found in Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Zanzibar, the Mascarene Islands and Mozambique at elevations of sea level to 300 meters in thickets and bushes near the coast as a miniature sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with slender elongate stems giving rise to many roots all along and no leaves. The orchid blooms in the spring on many, all along the stem, .4 to 1" [1 to 2.5 cm] long, 8 to 16 flowered inflorescence.

Synonyms Aerobion aphyllum (Thouars) Spreng. 1826; *Angraecum aphyllum Thouars 1822; Angraecum defoliatum Schltr. 1913; Epidorchis aphylla (Thouars) Kuntze 1891; Gastrochilus aphyllus (Thouars) Kuntze 1891; Gussonea aphylla (Thouars) A. Rich. 1828; Gussonea defoliata (Schltr.) Schltr. 1915; Mystacidium aphyllum (Thouars) Cordem. 1895; Rhaphidorhynchus aphyllus (Thouars) Finet 1907; Saccolabium aphyllum (Thouars) Lindl. 1833; Solenangis aphylla (Thouars) Summerh. 1943

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora Of Madagascar Perrier 1936/1981; Orchids of Kenya Stewart 1996; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Part 2 Pope 1998 as Solenangis aphyllus; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006