Praecoxanthus

Praecoxanthus aphyllus, commonly known as leafless orchid, is the only species of the flowering plant genus Praecoxanthus in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Plants in flower lack a true leaf, although those plants that are not flowering do possess a green leaf. This species is one of the first orchids to flower each year and its creamy white, fragrant flower easily distinguishes it from other species.

==Description== Praecoxanthus aphyllus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb with a few inconspicuous, fine roots and a tuber partly surrounded by a fibrous sheath. The tuber produces a replacement "dropper" which becomes the daughter tuber in the following year. Non-flowering plants produce a single, stalkless, egg-shaped leaf which is long, wide and glabrous with prominent white veins. The leaf of flowering plants is reduced to a tiny bract at the base of the stem.