Thismia hongkongensis S. S. Mar & R. M. K. Saunders

Small achlorophyllous holomycotrophic herbs. Roots clustered, ± horizontal, vermiform, fleshy, 1.2–1.3 mm in diameter, cream-coloured. Stem cream-coloured, unbranched, erect, ca. 1.7 cm tall, 1.8–2 mm in diameter, glabrous, terete, with ca. 12 longitudinal ridges. Leaves white, appressed, clasping stem, narrowly triangular with acute apex, scale-like, 3–5.5 mm long, 1.7–2 mm wide; basal leaves smallest, upper leaves (equivalent to floral bracts) largest. Flowers in clusters of up to 3, developing sequentially with only one anthetic. Perianth actinomorphic, of 6 fused tepals, forming a perianth tube with free apical lobes. Perianth tube pinkish-white, membranous, urceolate, ca. 6.7 mm long, ca. 6.1 mm in diameter, with 12 dark red vertical ribs, abaxial surface distinctly verrucose; apex of perianth tube fused to form a dark red, rounded-hexagonal annulus, ca. 1.4 mm wide (top, externally), ca. 2.3 mm wide (base, externally) and ca. 1 mm (internal aperture); dark red, inverted V-shaped structures (putative nectaries) at apex of adaxial surface of perianth tube, opposite apertures between staminal filaments. Outer tepal lobes triangular, ca. 1.8 mm long, ca. 1.5 mm wide at base; inner tepal lobes spathulate, concave adaxially, ca. 3.3 mm long, ca. 1.7 mm wide at widest point, bearing a dark red filiform appendage on the abaxial surface, ca. 4 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm in diameter (towards base), 0.4 mm in diameter (towards apex); the three filiform appendages remain upright and cross each other, forming a persistent mitre. Stamens 6, pendent from the inner margin of perianth annulus, ca. 2.9 mm long, ca. 1.1 mm wide at widest point; filaments free, ca. 1 mm long; stamens laterally connate, forming an anther tube; individual stamens with two thecae (adaxial, dehiscing towards inner surface of perianth tube), ca. 0.7 mm long; apical connective of stamens ca. 1 mm long, with two distinct teeth, adorned with trichomes, ca. 0.5 mm long. Ovary inferior, obconical, ca. 2.7 mm long, ca. 4 mm wide towards apex; style ca. 0.6 mm long, ca. 0.6 mm in diameter, with three bilobed, rounded stigmas; stigmatic head ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter. Fruit a capsule ca. 4 mm long, ca. 4.8 mm wide, cup-shaped, carnose, pale orange-brown, dehiscing apically; fruiting peduncle ca. 2.5 mm diameter. Seeds numerous, yellow-brown.