Sciaphila secundiflora
Sciaphila secundiflora Thwaites ex Benth.
Sciaphila secundiflora is a herb in the family Triuridaceae, native to southern Asia, Japan, and the East Indies. It is a saprophytic plant with purple flowers arranged in globular clusters. This species is distinguished by its female flowers having ten tepals and male flowers having eight tepals, a unique trait among monocots.
Description
Sciaphila secundiflora, described in 1855 by Thwaites ex Benth., belongs to the genus Sciaphila in the Triuridaceae family. It is found in regions including the Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Malaya, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, and Sumatra. As a saprophyte, it lacks chlorophyll and obtains nutrients from decaying organic matter. The plant's most notable feature is the difference in tepal numbers between male and female flowers, with ten in females and eight in males, a characteristic that sets it apart from other monocots. Its flowers are purple and grow in compact, globular clusters.
Distribution
TW · Bismarck Archipelago · Borneo · Malaya · New Guinea · Solomon Is. · Sri Lanka · Sumatera
Synonyms
Sciaphila macraSciaphila papuanaSciaphila monticolaSciaphila piluliferaSciaphila inornataSciaphila maboroensisSciaphila versteegianaSciaphila werneriSciaphila sumatranaSciaphila asteriasSciaphila brachystyla