Orchidaceae, I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:2. 1998
Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968
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
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44392994/44526338
Terrestrial herb 10–60 cm tall.Perennating organs subterranean, pseudobulbous, 2–4.5 × 1.3.5 cm, conical to ovoid, with several nodes, covered in fibrous sheaths, set close together in a short chain; roots 1–1.5 mm in diameter, arising from base of pseudobulb.Leaves 20–30 cm × 3–3.5 mm, linear, acute, grass-like, often rather curled, usually produced after flowering but present with flowers on Pawek 5691 and Greatrex 53.Inflorescence laxly 2–8-flowered; scape slender, with 3 sheaths towards the base.Pedicel and ovary 10–16 mm long; bracts 2–6 mm long.Flowers ± erect, facing upwards, cream or pale pink with a mauve lip or brownish with a purple or purple-green lip, the veins darker brown or purple.Sepals 16–19 × 1–2 mm, linear or linear-spathulate, acute to acuminate, the dorsal erect, the laterals spreading.Petals 11–14 × 1–2.5 mm, linear lanceolate, acute or apiculate, projecting over column.Lip 8–15 × 7–9 mm, 3-lobed at about halfway; side lobes erect, rounded; mid-lobe c. 6 × 4 mm, suborbicular, obtuse; callus of 3 ridges, papillose on the mid-lobe; spur 7–10 mm long, slender and cylindrical from a conical base, straight, forming an acute angle with the ovary.Column 5–6 mm long.Capsule erect, 17–18 mm long.
A terrestrial herb 11–44 cm. tall. Perennating organs underground, pseudobulbous, ovoid-conical, proximate in a row, 2–4 cm. tall, 8–35 mm. diameter, 3-noded; roots 1–1.5 mm. diameter, from base of pseudobulbs, white. Leaves 3, erect, linear, acute, 20–25 cm. long, 3–3.5 mm. wide. Inflorescence produced before leaves, 2–8-flowered; peduncle wiry, 1 mm. diameter, with 3 sheaths towards base; rhachis 4–20 cm. long; bracts lanceolate, acuminate, 2–6 mm. long. Flowers erect; sepals and petals whitish pink to greenish yellow, shaded with purple at apices of petals; lip mid-lobe pinkish mauve; pedicel and ovary 10–16 mm. long. Dorsal sepal linear, acute to acuminate, 16–18 mm. long, 2 mm. wide; lateral sepals similar. Petals linear-lanceolate, acute to apiculate, 11–12 mm. long, 2–2.5 mm. wide. Lip 3-lobed, 8–15 mm. long, 7–9 mm. wide; side lobes rounded; mid-lobe subcircular, obtuse; callus of 3 ridges, papillose in front on mid-lobe; spur straight, at acute angle to ovary, cylindric from conical base, 8–10 mm. long. Column 6 mm. long. Fruit erect, 17–18 mm. long. Fig. 104/1–10, p. 462.
In bare and hardbaked soil on hilltops; 1500–2000 m.
In dry grassland and bare rocky patches in open miombo and rocky hillsides, also in dry Brachystegia woodland
