Miersiella umbellata

Description

Miersiella umbellata is a mycoheterotrophic leaf greenless plant species and the only species of its genus ofthe Burmanniaceae family Miersiella umbellata is a upright and herbaceous growing species and reaches heights of growth between 5 and 19 centimeters. The cylindrical rhizome is bulbous and densely populated with roots and narrow to broad egg-shaped scales. It no longer operates photosynthesis but lives parasitically on fungi and is completely dependent on them for their nutrition. The leaves are at a length of 1.4 to 5 millimeters and a width of 0.6 to 1.5 millimeters approximately shield-shaped to ovate. The inflorescence shafts are white to purple and unbranched. The terminal, doldigen inflorescences contain 4 to 10, rarely up to 22 flowers; at the base of the inflorescence are two to four bracts The upright, petiolate flowers are tubular, 2.5 to 4.5 millimeters long and purple to white. The capsule fruits are broad-elliptic to round with a diameter of about 2 millimeters.