Equilabium Mwany., A.J. Paton & Culham, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 188(4): 367. 2018 Figs 6, 7

Type species.

Equilabium laxiflorum (Benth.) Mwany., A.J.Paton & Culham.

Description.

Annual or perennial herbs or soft wooded shrubs, rarely woody shrubs, sometimes with a persistent woody or fleshy rootstock. Leaves opposite. Inflorescence thrysoid, usually lax; cymes sessile or pedunculate, 1 –3(– 5, very rarely -7); bracts subtending cymes persistent. Flowers pedicelate. Calyx funnel-shaped, straight with pedicel attaching symmetrically at the calyx base, not opposite posterior lip, two-lipped; throat glabrous within, open; posterior lip 1-lobed, usually broader than anterior lobes, shortly decurrent on tube or not; anterior lip 4-lobed; lobes triangular or lancolate; lateral lobes broader or equal to median lobes and held midway between the posterior lobe and the median lobes of the anterior lip; median lobes triangular to lanceolate. Corolla two-lipped with lips equal in length; tube sigmoid, sometimes strongly so, narrow and parallel-sided at base and expanding towards throat; posterior lip 4-lobed erect or ascending; anterior lobe horizontal, cucullate, sometimes frilled at apex. Stamens 4; filaments not fused together, held within the anterior lip. Style bifid with lobes subulate. Nutlets ovoid.

42 species mainly in Tropical Africa but including two in India.