Orchidaceae
Disperis

Disperis virginalis Schltr.

First published in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 24: 431 (1897)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. Zimbabwe to Mpumalanga. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Slender terrestrial herb 8–25 cm tall.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 2, ± opposite, 2–7.5 × 1.5–4.5 cm, ovate, with petiole c. 3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 1–3-flowered; flowers pale to deep pink or white, with purple dots within.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 12–20 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts leaf-like, of similar length.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Lateral sepals joined near the base, 8–10 × 4–4.5 mm, obliquely obovate-oblong, subacute or apiculate, each with a slender, acute sac-like spur 1.5–2.5 mm long directed toward the sepal apex. Dorsal sepal 10–13 mm long, linear, concave, joined with the petals to form an open hood.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals projecting beyond the dorsal sepal, 11–14 mm long, obliquely rhomboid-falcate, acute, with a rounded lobe on the lower half of the free margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip erect; claw c. 6 mm long, unguiculate; limb minute, reflexed; appendage about 4 times as long as the limb, recurved, dilated into 4 spreading lobes or 2-lobed at the apex and the lobes shortly 2-lobed. Limb and appendage densely papillose-hairy on the inside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Rostellum
Rostellum broadly ovate-orbicular, shortlybifid with reflexed margin; arms 2–3 mm long.
[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: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. 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 2024. 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