Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968
In grassland or in deciduous woodland of Brachystegia, Berlinia, etc.; sea-level to 2200 m.
Plateau and escarpment miombo, often on sandy soils and Kalahari Sand, also in wooded grassland and other grasslands, and at higher altitudes in Protea scrub slopes
Terrestrial herb 50–100 cm tall.Perennating organs subterranean, tuberous, irregularly cylindrical, horizontal, forming chains and branching occasionally, 5–9.5 × 1.1–2.5 cm; rhizome short, up to 1 cm in diameter; roots scattered along tuber, 1.5 mm in diameter, white.Leaves 3–6, 10–40 cm × 5–17 mm, linear, acute, lowest 1–2 sheathing, not present or just starting to develop at flowering time.Inflorescence laxly few- to many-flowered; scape 37–75 cm long, with 2–3 sheaths in lower half, rhachis 10–26 cm long.Pedicel and ovary 20–30 mm long, very slender; bracts spreading, lowest 17–19 mm long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate.Sepals and petals pale to deep mauve-pink; lip purple with darker callus ridges and green or yellowish side-lobes flushed and edged with pink.Dorsal sepal reflexed, 11.5–20 × 4–8 mm, lanceolate or oblanceolate, acute or obtuse, sometimes twisted; lateral sepals similar but slightly wider.Petals erect, 14–20 × 8–13 mm, elliptic-obovate, obtuse.Lip 3-lobed, 10–18.5 mm long; side-lobes erect, rounded; mid-lobe 7–12 × 6–11 mm, reduplicate, upcurved towards apex, elliptic, obtuse; callus of 5 low ridges to apex of mid-lobe; spur 3–7 mm long, narrowly conical, obtuse, slightly upcurved at apex.Column clavate, 7–9 mm long, purple or pink. Fruit pendent, 18–20 mm long.
A terrestrial herb 50–100 cm. tall. Perennating organs underground, tuberous, irregularly cylindrical, horizontal, branching occasionally, 5–9.5 cm. long, 1.1–2.5 cm. diameter; rhizome short, up to 1 cm. diameter; roots scattered along tuber, 1.5 mm. diameter, white. Leaves 3–6, linear, acute, 10–40 cm. long, 5–17 mm. wide, lowermost 1–2 sheathing. Inflorescence produced before leaves develop, laxly few–many-flowered; peduncle 37–75 cm. long, with 2–3 sheaths in lower half; rhachis 10–26 cm. long; bracts spreading, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, lowest 17–19 mm. long. Flowers with pale to darker lilac sepals and petals; lip purple with darker callus ridges and green or yellowish side lobes flushed and edged with pink; pedicel and ovary 22–30 mm. long. Dorsal sepal reflexed, lanceolate or oblanceolate, acute or obtuse, 15–20 mm. long, 4–5 mm. wide; lateral sepals similar but slightly wider. Petals erect, elliptic-obovate, obtuse, 14–20 mm. long, 8–9 mm. wide. Lip 3-lobed, 12–17 mm. long; side lobes erect, rounded; mid-lobe reduplicate, upcurved towards apex, elliptic, obtuse, 8–12 mm. long; callus of 5 low ridges to apex of mid-lobe; spur narrowly conical, 3–7 mm. long, slightly upcurved at apex. Column clavate, 7–9 mm. long, purple or pink. Fruit pendent, 18–20 mm. long. Pl. 3. Fig. 96/2–10.
Orchidaceae, I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:2. 1998
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
Largement repandu. Ouest : sans localite, Rutenberg, Hure, Baron 5982; baie de Rigny (N.). Boivin 2348; Maevatanana (Boina), Catat 3217; Tsarasaotra, Perrier 368; Maevarano, près Majunga, Perrier 1902; Morafenobe, Decary 2300 et 2310.
Sambirano: Sahandrakoto, Decary 1242.
Centre: montagne d'Ambre (N.), Bernier 356 et Boivin 2346; Mantasoa (Imerina), Le Myre de Vilers; Horombe (S.), H. Poisson 582; rive E. du lac Alaotra, Perrier 14975; mont Vohipolaka, au N. de Betroka, Humbert 11720; entre le col de Kalambatitra et la vallée de la Manambolo (Ionaivo), Humbert 12117.
Est : Sainte-Marie, Luggiara; Brickaville, Perrier. Comorks : Grande Comoro. Humblot 1420 (420) et 1634 (634); Mavotte, a Pamanzi, Boioin.
Pseudobulbes (6-10), cormoïdes, souterrains et charnus (de la section). Feuilles (3-5) linéaires (40-60 cm. X 10 mm. au plus), graminiformes, pliées-nervées, aiguës, paraissant après la floraison. Inflorescence dressée, de 60 cm. à 1 in. de haut; pédoncule beaucoup plus long que la grappe, à 3-4 gaines toutes apprimées; grappe très lâche et pauciflore (7-10 fleurs), de 12-20 cm. de long; bractées linéaires, lanceolees, aigues, egalant l'ovaire pedicelle ou un peu plus courtes; fleurs grandes (5 cm. de long), a petales et sepales de couleur mauve et a labelle d'un beau rouge-violet. Sepales lanceoles (2-2,5 cm, x 4-5 mm.), aigus. Petales elliptiques (1,8- 2 x 0,9-1,1 cm.), courtement attenues au sommet. Labelle etale, charnu, trilobe jusqu'au-dessous du milieu, aussi long que les petales et de 1-1,5 cm. de large pres de la base; lobes lateraux arrondis, tres obtus, decolores, enveloppant presque la colonne; lobe median ovale, apicule, ondule sur les bords, 2-3 fois plus grand que les lateraux; palais orne de 3 callus saillants et de 3-5 cretes se prolongeant plus ou moins en avant; eperon conique, obtus, de 6-8 num. de long. Colonne de 8-10 mm. de haut, epaissie graduellement de la base au sommet et a section subtriangulaire. Anthere munie en avant d'un labre tronque, moitie moins large qu'elle, et, en arriere d'un appendice reetangulaire, epais et noiratre; pollinies ovales, sessiles sur un stipe carre et court; viscidie en 2 grands arcs embrassant le sommet de la fosse stigmatique, le deuxieme 3 fois plus grand que le premier, longuement prolongé en filament etroit et rigide sur les cotes de la fosse. Ovaire (et pedicelle) de 2-3 cm. de long. Capsule elliptique (3 x 1 cm.) a 3 bandes suturales larges et aplaties, longuement (1,5-2 cm.) péedicellée
Prairies, de à 1.000 m. d'alt.
