The World Flora Online

Herbes pérennes, mycohétérotrophes (« saprophythes »), sans chlorophylle, rhizomateuses, avec des racines. Feuilles alternes, sessiles, simples, réduites à des petites écailles, avec une seule nervure médiane. Inflorescences en racèmes terminaux. Fleurs petites, actinomorphes, unisexuées ou bisexuées, 3-mères, sous-tendues par une bractée; tépales 6, égaux, soudés seulement à la base, parfois pileux au sommet; étamines 2-6, filets très courts ou absents, loges à déhiscence transversale; gynécée supère, carpelles nombreux, libres, chacun avec un ovule basal; style latéral. Fruit composé de plusieurs follicules déhiscents. Graines microscopiques, exalbuminées.

Perianth-segments 3-8, 1-seriate, valvate, sometimes appendaged at the apex, at length reflexed Male flowers: stamens 2-6, sometimes only half of them fertile; anthers free or immersed in the mass of the receptacle, 2-locular, dehiscing mostly transversely; connective sometimes produced into long subulate appendages Female flowers rarely with staminodes Carpels several, free, 1-locular; style terminal to almost basal; ovule solitary, basal Flowers very small, racemose or subcorymbose, with decurved bracteate pedicels, actinomorphic, monoecious, dioecious or rarely polygamous Leafless saprophiytic herbs with simple or subsimple stems furnished with a few pale scales Fruits crowded, opening by a slit Seed erect, with a fleshy white oily undifferentiated nucleus Male flowers: stamens 2-6, sometimes only half of them fertile; anthers free or immersed in the mass of the receptacle, 2-locular, dehiscing mostly transversely; connective sometimes produced into long subulate appendages Female flowers rarely with staminodes Carpels several, free, 1-locular; style terminal to almost basal; ovule solitary, basal Flowers very small, racemose or subcorymbose, with decurved bracteate pedicels, actinomorphic, monoecious, dioecious or rarely polygamous Leafless saprophiytic herbs with simple or subsimple stems furnished with a few pale scales Fruits crowded, opening by a slit Seed erect, with a fleshy white oily undifferentiated nucleus

Herbs achlorophyllous, mycotrophic, reddish, purple, or yellow. Stems erect, simple or nearly so. Leaves alternate, reduced, scalelike, not green. Plants monoecious or dioecious; flowers small, unisexual, rarely bisexual or polygamous, actinomorphic, in racemes or subcorymbs, with decurved bracteate pedicels. Perianth segments 3-10, in 1 series, valvate, usually united at base, sometimes appendaged at apex, reflexed after anthesis. Stamens 2-6, inserted at base of receptacle or perianth; anthers 2- or 4-thecous, extrorse, mostly opening by transverse slit; connective often reduced into long subulate appendages. Carpels 6 to many, free; style terminal to subbasal; ovule solitary, basal. Fruiting carpels crowded, opening by a slit. Seed internally fleshy, white, oily, undifferentiated.

Saprophytic annual or perennial herbs Seeds ellipsoid, with copious endosperm Monocarps with a single seed, dehiscent or not Leaves alternate, reduced to scales Female flowers with numerous free carpels; style terminal or ± gynobasic; ovule erect, anatropous Male flowers with (2-)3-6 stamens, rarely with 3 stamens and 3 staminodes; anthers sessile or with short filaments, with 2 or 4 thecae opening by transverse slits; pollen globose, smooth, without apertures Perianth 3-6(-10)-partite, petaloid Flowers unisexual, sometimes on separate plants, or, more rarely, hermaphrodite, in racemes or contracted raceme-like panicles Seeds ellipsoid, with copious endosperm Monocarps with a single seed, dehiscent or not Leaves alternate, reduced to scales Female flowers with numerous free carpels; style terminal or ± gynobasic; ovule erect, anatropous Male flowers with (2-)3-6 stamens, rarely with 3 stamens and 3 staminodes; anthers sessile or with short filaments, with 2 or 4 thecae opening by transverse slits; pollen globose, smooth, without apertures Perianth 3-6(-10)-partite, petaloid Flowers unisexual, sometimes on separate plants, or, more rarely, hermaphrodite, in racemes or contracted raceme-like panicles