Eulophia gonychila Schltr.

First published in O.Warburg (ed.), Kunene-Sambesi Exped.: 217 (1903)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to S. Tropical Africa. It is a pseudobulbous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
A terrestial herb 15–40 cm. tall.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Perennating organs subterranean, proximate, pseudobulbous, conical, 4-noded, 2–3 cm. long, 1.5–2 cm. diameter, drying dull yellow; roots thick, from base of pseudobulbs, 4 mm. diameter, white.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3–4, plicate, oblong to oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 8–14 cm. long, 4–5.5 cm. wide, petiolate, articulated to sheathing base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences appearing before leaves, 6–14-flowered; peduncle 8–17 cm. long, bearing 3 tubular sheaths along lower part and a linear-lanceolate one above; rhachis 6.5–12.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers spreading to subnutant, strongly scented; sepals brown; petals lilac-pink veined with brown; lip pale lilac; column lilac with yellow anther; pedicel and ovary 10–14 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal erect, oblong-obovate, obtuse, 11–14 mm.long, 7–8 mm. wide, undulate on margins; lateral sepals similar but recurved, 11–14 mm. long, 6–8 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals broadly ovate-subcircular, obtuse, 9–11 mm. long, 9–11 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip obscurely 3-lobed, not easily flattened; side lobes erect, recurved, rounded, erose on margins; mid-lobe triangular, reduplicate, suberect, acute, 8–9 mm. long, 6–7 mm. wide; callus a lacerate transverse flap near base, with 1–3 slightly fleshy rugulose ridges in front.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur obscure.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 3 mm. long, fleshy; foot absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit not known.
Figures
Fig. 107/9–18
Habitat
In woodland; 1200–1500 m.
Distribution
T4 T7
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Fairly robust terrestrial herb 15–40 cm tall.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Perennating organs pseudobulbous, partly above ground, 2–3 × 2–3.5 cm, conical to almost globose, 3–4-noded; roots stout, white, 4 mm in diameter.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3–4, 8–15 × 3–5.5 cm, ovate to oblong-elliptic, obtuse, plicate, absent at flowering time.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence fairly densely up to about 30-flowered; scape with 2–3 loose, tubular sheaths towards the base and 1–2 linear-lanceolate bracts further up.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers pink or pinkish-brown, the petals veined with red on the inner surface, the lip red-veined on the side lobes and the mid-lobe.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel and ovary 10–14 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts 7–8 mm long, lanceolate, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 11–15 × 4–8 mm, oblanceolate, the edges undulate, the dorsal erect, laterals recurved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 9–11 × 9–11 mm, broadly ovate to ± orbicular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip c. 15 mm long, obscurely 3-lobed, with a lacerate membrane in the throat with 1–3 fleshy, rugulose ridges in front; mid-lobe 8–9 × 6–7 mm, triangular, convex; spur obscurely conical.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 3–5 mm long, lacking a foot.
[FZ]

Habitat

In woodland; 1200–1500 m.

Miombo and mixed deciduous woodlands, and recently burnt grassland

General Description

Fairly robust terrestrial herb 15–40 cm tall.Perennating organs pseudobulbous, partly above ground, 2–3 × 2–3.5 cm, conical to almost globose, 3–4-noded; roots stout, white, 4 mm in diameter.Leaves 3–4, 8–15 × 3–5.5 cm, ovate to oblong-elliptic, obtuse, plicate, absent at flowering time.Inflorescence fairly densely up to about 30-flowered; scape with 2–3 loose, tubular sheaths towards the base and 1–2 linear-lanceolate bracts further up.Flowers pink or pinkish-brown, the petals veined with red on the inner surface, the lip red-veined on the side lobes and the mid-lobe.Pedicel and ovary 10–14 mm long; bracts 7–8 mm long, lanceolate, acute.Sepals 11–15 × 4–8 mm, oblanceolate, the edges undulate, the dorsal erect, laterals recurved.Petals 9–11 × 9–11 mm, broadly ovate to ± orbicular.Lip c. 15 mm long, obscurely 3-lobed, with a lacerate membrane in the throat with 1–3 fleshy, rugulose ridges in front; mid-lobe 8–9 × 6–7 mm, triangular, convex; spur obscurely conical.Column 3–5 mm long, lacking a foot.

A terrestial herb 15–40 cm. tall. Perennating organs subterranean, proximate, pseudobulbous, conical, 4-noded, 2–3 cm. long, 1.5–2 cm. diameter, drying dull yellow; roots thick, from base of pseudobulbs, 4 mm. diameter, white. Leaves 3–4, plicate, oblong to oblong-elliptic, obtuse, 8–14 cm. long, 4–5.5 cm. wide, petiolate, articulated to sheathing base. Inflorescences appearing before leaves, 6–14-flowered; peduncle 8–17 cm. long, bearing 3 tubular sheaths along lower part and a linear-lanceolate one above; rhachis 6.5–12.5 cm. long. Flowers spreading to subnutant, strongly scented; sepals brown; petals lilac-pink veined with brown; lip pale lilac; column lilac with yellow anther; pedicel and ovary 10–14 mm. long. Dorsal sepal erect, oblong-obovate, obtuse, 11–14 mm.long, 7–8 mm. wide, undulate on margins; lateral sepals similar but recurved, 11–14 mm. long, 6–8 mm. wide. Petals broadly ovate-subcircular, obtuse, 9–11 mm. long, 9–11 mm. wide. Lip obscurely 3-lobed, not easily flattened; side lobes erect, recurved, rounded, erose on margins; mid-lobe triangular, reduplicate, suberect, acute, 8–9 mm. long, 6–7 mm. wide; callus a lacerate transverse flap near base, with 1–3 slightly fleshy rugulose ridges in front; spur obscure. Column 3 mm. long, fleshy; foot absent Fruit not known. Fig. 107/9–18

[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: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
  • Eulophiinae: e-monocot.org

    • All Rights Reserved
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
  • 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.
  • 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