''Manniella'' is a genus of orchids (family

Orchidaceae Orchids are plants that belong to the family (biology), family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan plants that ...

) belonging to the subfamily

Orchidoideae The Orchidoideae, or the orchidoid orchids, are a subfamily of the orchid family (Orchidaceae) that contains around 3630 species. Species typically have a single (monandrous), fertile anther which is erect and basitonic. Description The subfam ...

. It consists of two species: the type species ''

Manniella gustavi ''Manniella'' may refer to: * ''Manniella'' (plant), a genus of orchids * ''Manniella'' (subgenus), a subgenus of carpenter ants {{Taxonomy disambiguation ...

'' Rchb.f. and ''

Manniella cypripedioides ''Manniella cypripedioides'' is a species of plant in the family Orchidaceae. It is found in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat dest ...

'', Salazar & al., both from

West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

. Because of its phylogenetic position as the sister of Neotropical subtribes Cranichidinae s.l. and Spiranthinae, its status as the sole genus in the subtribe Manniellineae is justified on evolutionary grounds. The genus is named after

Gustav Mann Gustav Mann (1836–1916) was a German botanist who led expeditions in West Africa and was also a gardener at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Born in the Kingdom of Hanover in 1836, he was chosen by William Jackson Hooker, Director of the Royal Bo ...

References

* Garay, L.A. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 28:333,1980 * Salazar, G.A., T. Franke, L. Zapfack and L. Beenken. 2002. A new species of Manniella (Orchidaceae, Cranichideae) from western tropical Africa, with notes on protandry in the genus. Lindleyana 17: 239–276. * Salazar, G.A., M.W. Chase, M.A. Soto Arenas and M. Ingrouille. 2003. Phylogenetics of Cranichideae with emphasis on Spiranthinae (Orchidaceae, Orchidoideae): evidence from plastid and nuclear DNA sequences. American Journal of Botany 90: 777–795. Cranichideae genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Orchidoideae-stub