Brachycorythis ovata Lindl.

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:1. 1995

Morphology General Habit

Terrestrial herb 25–55 cm tall with woolly, cylindrical roots.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves numerous, overlapping, up to 7 × 2.5 cm, lanceolate or ovate, acute or acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence 13–25 × 4–6 cm, fairly laxly to densely many-flowered; ovary and pedicel 1.5–1.6 cm long; bracts up to 4 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers mauve and white.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Dorsal sepal 6.8–7.5 × 3–4.2 mm, elliptic or ovate, convex. Lateral sepals 7–9.3 × 2–4.7 mm, obliquely ovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 6–10 × 2.8–7 mm, obliquely oblong or ovate with a rounded auricle in front, standing forwards beside the column.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum

Lip 11.5–14.5 mm long; hypochile boat-shaped 3.5–6 mm long; epichile 8.5–10.5 × 6.5–10.5 mm, broadly obovate, 3-lobed near the apex or in the upper part, with a central ridge running into the mid-lobe; the side lobes reflexed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column

Column stout, 3–4 mm long.

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit

Terrestrial herb 20–100 cm. high.

Morphology Roots

Roots very fleshy, cylindrical.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves very numerous, narrowly to broadly lanceolate, very acute, the middle ones up to 8 cm. long and 2.5 cm. broad, decreasing in size up the stem.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence rather densely to rather laxly many-flowered, up to 35 cm. long, 3–6 cm. in diameter; bracts leaf-like, lanceolate, the lower ones usually and sometimes nearly all of them longer than the flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers various shades of purple and mauve, often with an admixture of white; ovary with pedicel 1–2 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Dorsal sepal elliptical, obtuse or rounded at apex, 5–9 mm. long; laterals obliquely ovate, subacute, 6.5–11 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals erect on each side of column, obliquely oblong-ovate with a marked rounded auricle in front, truncate or toothed at the apex, about as long as the dorsal sepal.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum

Lip-hypochile boat-shaped, somewhat curved, 4–6 mm. long, upper margins almost straight; epichile broadly obovate, 3-lobed in the upper part, with a keel running along the centre into the triangular middle lobe, the side lobes t incurved, shorter than, equalling or longer than the middle lobe.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column

Column rather stout, 3–4 mm. long.