Triuridaceae

The Triuridaceae are a small family (c. 6 genera, and c. 45 spp.) of very delicate, saprophytic, terrestrial, mostly dark-red coloured herbs growing in the deep shade of everwet tropical forest, entering the subtropics only in Japan and the Bonin Is. They are in Africa confined to restricted areas in the West and are also in continental Southeast Asia remarkably rare, as yet only known from two localities in Assam and N. Thailand respectively. Fig. 1. The nearest localities to Indochina and China are in Hainan and Botel Tobago Is. (southeast off Taiwan). In Australia they are only found in the Bellenden Ker Range in NE. Queensland, showing their aversion to dry and seasonal climates. By their small stature (10—40 cm), dark colour, and very small flowers they are evasive to collectors; the only one reaching some size (45—140 cm) is Sciaphila purpurea which is found in Peru, according to GIESEN mainly in termite nests in hollow trunks. During exploration, trip stops, either for felling or climbing trees, or for culinary or sanitary purposes, offer the best opportunity to observe them.