Orchidaceae
Epipogium

Epipogium roseum (D.Don) Lindl.

First published in J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 1: 177 (1857)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa, Tropical & Subtropical Asia to SW. Pacific. It is a holomycotrophic rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Tuberous rhizome horizontal, ovoid, composed of many internodes, up to 5 cm. long and 3.5 cm. broad.
Morphology Stem
Flowering scape to 60 cm., hollow, fleshy, brownish at base, almost white towards apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence up to 20 cm. long, many-flowered; bracts ovate, up to 1.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers creamy white to dull dirty pink, with small dark purple or dull crimson spots.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals not spreading.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals lanceolate, acute, ± 1 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals similar but slightly shorter than sepals.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip ± as long as tepals, broadly ovate, sides raised at base, margins ± irregular, with pair of minutely warted crests reaching from base to near apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur broad, 4 mm. long, pointing backwards below the ovary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column very short; anther larger than column; stigma at base of column; ovary conspicuous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Embryo of seeds with 8 cells only.
Figures
Fig. 42.
Habitat
Forest floor; 1300–2200 m.
Distribution
K3 U2 Indo-Malayasia to Australia and Vanuatu
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Leafless, saprophytic herb; tuberous rhizome up to 5 × 3.5 cm, ovoid, horizontal, villous, spongy.
Morphology Stem
Stem 18–60 cm tall, hollow, pinkish-white with red streaks, with c. 6 bract-like cataphylls.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 12–20 cm long, laxly several- to many-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel 7 mm long, ovary 4 mm long at anthesis, soon enlarging.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts 12–15 mm long, ovate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers drooping, not opening wide, off-white to dull pink, with purple or dull red spots.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals 9–12 × c. 2 mm, lanceolate, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip c. 10 × 5 mm, ovate, with 2 verrucose crests running along its length; spur blunt, 3–4 × 1–1.5 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column shorter than anther; stigma at base of column.
[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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • 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.
    • 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

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images