Afrothismia Schltr.

Small, fleshy, saprophytic perennial herbs, usually with a single stem; rhizome cylindric, each node with clusters of tuberous bulbils, each with a filamentous root. Leaves alternate, cauline, small, scale-like, sparse. Flowers irregular, relatively large in a simple or bifurcate 1-4 flowered cincinnus. Perianth urn-shaped, with internal flange; lobes sub-equal. Fruit ovary wall and perianth deciduous after flowering, leaving placenta column with numerous ellipsoid seeds around apex.

Worldwide: About 4 species in tropical Africa, rare, in mountain forests.

Malawi: 1 taxon.