Ancistrorhynchus Finet

Epiphytic herbs. Stems short, covered with old sheathing leaf bases; roots clustered at base of stem. Leaves imbricate, ligulate or tapering, unequally 2-lobed at the apex, the lobes sometimes dentate. Inflorescences axillary, from leaf bases or the lower leaves, ± sessile, usually in globose or ellipsoid heads; bracts papery, usually as long as the flowers. Flowers white, sometimes with green on lip. Sepals and petals free, subsimilar; lip oblong or orbicular, entire or 3-lobed, spurred at the base; column short; rostellum projecting down then abruptly upcurved in apical half, 2-lobed, each lobe falcate and acute; anther cap hemispherical, with a short, truncate appendage in front; pollinia 2, globose; stipites either 2 and subspathulate, or 1 and bifid; viscidium 1.

Worldwide: C. 16 species in tropical Africa.

Malawi: 1 taxon.