Orchidaceae
Eulophia

Eulophia dactylifera P.J.Cribb

First published in Kew Bull. 32: 163 (1977)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Tropical Africa. It is a pseudobulbous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit
Slender plant 60–80 cm tall.
Morphology Roots
Perennating organs subterranean, 3–5 × 3–5 cm, obliquely conical, forming a short chain.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 4–5, the lowest 2 sheath-like, 10–15 × 3.5–4 cm, ovate, acute, the edge undulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence rather laxly many-flowered, the lower capsules formed before the upper flowers open; scape with several sheaths.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel and ovary c. 13 mm long, decurved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellow, the lip with purple veins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals erect, obovate, apiculate; dorsal sepal 9 × 4 mm, lateral sepals 10 × 4.5 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 9 × 7, obliquely ovate, apiculate, lying over the column.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 9 × 6 mm, obscurely 3-lobed near the base, with 2 parallel calli c. 1 mm high in the throat, each branched, with radiating, papillose projections; from the base of each callus a low, verrucose crest runs down the lip. Side lobes rounded, mid-lobe triangular, obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur conical, short.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 3 mm long.
[FZ]

Habitat

Bare patches in mopane woodland, with xerophytic species such as Euphorbia cooperi, Caralluma schweinfurthii and Kalanchoe and Crassula spp.

General Description

Slender plant 60–80 cm tall.Perennating organs subterranean, 3–5 × 3–5 cm, obliquely conical, forming a short chain.Leaves 4–5, the lowest 2 sheath-like, 10–15 × 3.5–4 cm, ovate, acute, the edge undulate.Inflorescence rather laxly many-flowered, the lower capsules formed before the upper flowers open; scape with several sheaths.Pedicel and ovary c. 13 mm long, decurved.Flowers yellow, the lip with purple veins.Sepals erect, obovate, apiculate; dorsal sepal 9 × 4 mm, lateral sepals 10 × 4.5 mm.Petals 9 × 7, obliquely ovate, apiculate, lying over the column.Lip 9 × 6 mm, obscurely 3-lobed near the base, with 2 parallel calli c. 1 mm high in the throat, each branched, with radiating, papillose projections; from the base of each callus a low, verrucose crest runs down the lip.Side lobes rounded, mid-lobe triangular, obtuse; spur conical, short.Column 3 mm long.

[E-EM]

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: low confidence
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Eulophiinae: e-monocot.org

    • All Rights Reserved

  • 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.
    • 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 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