Orchidaceae
Eulophia

Eulophia montis-elgonis Summerh.

First published in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1932: 509 (1932)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Sudan to Tanzania. It is a pseudobulbous geophyte and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
A terrestrial herb 30–70(–105) cm. tall.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Perennating organs underground, tuberous, irregularly conical-ovoid, in a chain, 2–3 cm. tall, 2 cm. diameter; roots fine, 1 mm. diameter, white.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 2–3, erect, linear, acuminate, plicate, 30–60 cm. long, 2.5–3 cm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence densely many-flowered; peduncle 15–25 cm. long, 5–8 mm. diameter, almost covered by 3–6 acuminate papery sheaths; rhachis 4–12 cm. long; bracts linear-aristate, acuminate, 16–33 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers subnutant, pinkish mauve or white with a purple lip; pedicel and ovary 20–25 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal ovate, acute or acuminate, 15–18 mm. long, 7–8.5 mm. wide; lateral sepals obliquely ovate-elliptic, acute or obtuse, 17.5–18 mm. long, 8–10 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals elliptic, obtuse or apiculate, 13 mm. long, 6 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed, 13–14.5 mm. long, 10–11 mm. wide; side lobes porrect, rounded in front; mid-lobe subquadrate; callus of 2 ridges with 5 rows of papillae in front.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur 3–3.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 6 mm. long; foot 2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit not known.
Habitat
Rocky hillsides and upland grassland with Hagenia; 2100–2850 m.
Distribution
K3 K5 U1
[FTEA]

General Description

A terrestrial herb 30–70(–105) cm. tall. Perennating organs underground, tuberous, irregularly conical-ovoid, in a chain, 2–3 cm. tall, 2 cm. diameter; roots fine, 1 mm. diameter, white. Leaves 2–3, erect, linear, acuminate, plicate, 30–60 cm. long, 2.5–3 cm. wide. Inflorescence densely many-flowered; peduncle 15–25 cm. long, 5–8 mm. diameter, almost covered by 3–6 acuminate papery sheaths; rhachis 4–12 cm. long; bracts linear-aristate, acuminate, 16–33 mm. long. Flowers subnutant, pinkish mauve or white with a purple lip; pedicel and ovary 20–25 mm. long. Dorsal sepal ovate, acute or acuminate, 15–18 mm. long, 7–8.5 mm. wide; lateral sepals obliquely ovate-elliptic, acute or obtuse, 17.5–18 mm. long, 8–10 mm. wide. Petals elliptic, obtuse or apiculate, 13 mm. long, 6 mm. wide. Lip 3-lobed, 13–14.5 mm. long, 10–11 mm. wide; side lobes porrect, rounded in front; mid-lobe subquadrate; callus of 2 ridges with 5 rows of papillae in front; spur 3–3.5 mm. long. Column 6 mm. long; foot 2 mm. long. Fruit not known.

Habitat

Rocky hillsides and upland grassland with Hagenia; 2100–2850 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: 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 of Tropical East Africa

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 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