Orchidaceae
Disperis

Disperis pusilla Verdc.

First published in Kew Bull. 22: 94 (1968)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Kenya to Zambia. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Dwarf terrestrial herb 2.5–4 cm high; tubers ellipsoid or globose, 5–14 × 3–7.5 mm, woolly.
Morphology Stem
Stem densely covered with papillae-like hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf 1, basal, 6–8 × 6–10 mm, broadly ovate or orbicular, sessile, sheathing at base, densely papillose on upper surface and edge.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 1-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers deep yellow, almost orange, or dull yellow-brown, sometimes purple-tinged.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 8 mm long, pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bract leaf-like, c. 7 × 3 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Lateral sepals 6 × 3.5 mm, free, semi-orbicular, with sacs 0.8 mm long. Dorsal sepal 8 × 1.8 mm, linear-lanceolate, forming open hood with petals, c. 7.5 mm across mouth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 8 × 2.8 mm, oblong-linear, falcate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip claw bent back on itself shortly above column and expanded into a papillate, triangular limb 3.5 mm long, 2 mm wide, produced apically into a narrow tip.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

Morphology General Habit
Herb, 2.5–3.5 cm. tall, the stem densely covered with short papilla-like hairs, arising from a round or ellipsoid tuber 0.6–1.4 cm. long, 4–7.5 mm. wide.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf 1 (excluding 1–2 basal scale leaves), sessile, sheathing at the base, broadly ovate, 6–8 mm. long and wide, shortly acuminate, cordate above the sheath, densely papillate above and on margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary, yellow, yellow-brown or reddish, sometimes tinged purple; bract leaf-like, lanceolate, 7–9 mm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, subacute, papillate-ciliate on the margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Intermediate sepal linear-lanceolate, boat-shaped, 8 mm. long, 1.8 mm. wide, joined to the petals to form an elliptic inflexed open hood, the sepal itself forming a longitudinal sunken trough along the long axis; lateral sepals semicircular, 6 mm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, acute, free, bearing sacs 0.8 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals oblong-linear, falcate, 8 mm. long, 2.8 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip with claw bent back on itself shortly above the point of adnation with the column then expanded into a minutely papillate triangular limb, 3.5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, produced apically into a narrow tip.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary hairy.
Habitat
Grassland, woodland banks, also in bogs; 1650–2400 m.
Distribution
K3 T4
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0