Soridium

  • Authority

    Maas, Paulus J. M. & Rübsamen, T. 1986. Triuridaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 40: 1-55. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Triuridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Soridium

  • Type

    Type species. Soridium spruceanum Miers. From the Greek words soros (=crowd) and eidos (=similar). Probably referring to the pistillate flowers which by their conglomeration of ovaries resemble a fern sorus.

  • Description

    Genus Description - Unbranched or basally branched herbs. Rhizomes horizontally creeping, provided with filiform, densely hairy roots. Stems more or less terete. Stem-leaves 4-10. Inflorescence a terminal all-sided raceme. Flowers 10-50, unisexual, monoecious in distribution. Tepals four, inner side papillate. Staminate flowers 7-43, concentrated in the apical part of the inflorescence; stamens 2(-3), epitepalous, subsessile, anthers 2-locular, horizontally dehiscent. Pistillate flowers 3-7, concentrated in the basal part of the inflorescence; ovaries 25-40, papillate; style lateral, stigmatic zone penicillate-papillate. Fruit an achene, with a rather thick wall. Seeds more or less globose, without spongy layer, testa finely reticulate.

  • Distribution

    A monotypic genus confined to Central America and northern South America.

    Central America| South America|