Orchidaceae
Eulophia

Eulophia leonensis Rolfe

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 7: 51 (1897)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Tropical Africa to Uganda. It is a pseudobulbous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968

Morphology Leaves
Leaves at base of plant, developing with the flowers, broad
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in long raceme, greenish brown, tinged purple.
[FWTA]

General Description

A terrestrial herb 30–60 cm. tall. Perennating organs underground, pseudobulbous, irregularly conical, 20–30 mm. tall, 20 mm. diameter, in chains, drying yellow-orange; roots 3 mm. diameter, white. Leaves 3–5, plicate, elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, acute to acuminate, 8–28 cm. long, 3–6.5 cm. wide, articulated to a sheathing petiole. Inflorescence produced with young leaves or before, densely many-flowered; peduncle 2 mm. diameter, bearing 2–3 basal sheaths and 1–4 linear, acuminate, sterile bracts above; rhachis 6–17 cm. long; bracts linear, acuminate, 5–9 mm. long. Flowers spreading, becoming pendent; sepals greenish purple; petals and lip greenish yellow; pedicel and ovary 10–15 mm. long. Dorsal sepal oblanceolate, obtuse, 6.2–9 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. wide; lateral sepals similar but oblique at base. Petals broadly ovate to elliptic, obtuse or rounded, 5–6 mm. long, 4–5.3 mm. wide. Lip 3-lobed, 4.5–5.5 mm. long, 6 mm. wide; side lobes rounded; mid-lobe oblong-elliptic; callus of 5 fleshy verrucose ridges on mid-lobe; spur at right-angles to ovary, cylindric, almost straight, 5–6 mm. long. Column 2–2.5 mm. long, united to side lobes of lip for half length. Fruit pendent, 18–20 mm. long.

Habitat

In short grass and on rocky hillsides; 1000–1500 m.

[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]

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

Morphology General Habit
A terrestrial herb 30–60 cm. tall.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Perennating organs underground, pseudobulbous, irregularly conical, 20–30 mm. tall, 20 mm. diameter, in chains, drying yellow-orange; roots 3 mm. diameter, white.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3–5, plicate, elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, acute to acuminate, 8–28 cm. long, 3–6.5 cm. wide, articulated to a sheathing petiole.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence produced with young leaves or before, densely many-flowered; peduncle 2 mm. diameter, bearing 2–3 basal sheaths and 1–4 linear, acuminate, sterile bracts above; rhachis 6–17 cm. long; bracts linear, acuminate, 5–9 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers spreading, becoming pendent; sepals greenish purple; petals and lip greenish yellow; pedicel and ovary 10–15 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal oblanceolate, obtuse, 6.2–9 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. wide; lateral sepals similar but oblique at base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals broadly ovate to elliptic, obtuse or rounded, 5–6 mm. long, 4–5.3 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed, 4.5–5.5 mm. long, 6 mm. wide; side lobes rounded; mid-lobe oblong-elliptic; callus of 5 fleshy verrucose ridges on mid-lobe.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur at right-angles to ovary, cylindric, almost straight, 5–6 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 2–2.5 mm. long, united to side lobes of lip for half length.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit pendent, 18–20 mm. long.
Habitat
In short grass and on rocky hillsides; 1000–1500 m.
Distribution
U1 U2 Gambia to the Central African Republic
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Eulophiinae: e-monocot.org

    • All Rights Reserved

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical 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