Family:
Orchidaceae Juss.
Genus:
Eulophia R.Br.

Eulophia streptopetala Lindl.

This species is accepted, and its native range is Eritrea to S. Africa, SW. Arabian Peninsula.

[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Robust terrestrial herb 50–150 cm tall.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Perennating organs pseudobulbous, mostly above ground, 2.5–10 cm tall, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, conical to cylindrical, ribbed, clustered.
Morphology Roots
Roots 4–6 mm in diameter, fleshy, white.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves several, forming a fan, blade 40–65 × 0.5–8 cm, lanceolate, acute or acuminate, plicate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences rather laxly many-flowered; scape stout with several sheaths along its length.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel and ovary 15–25 mm long, arched so that the flowers face down.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts 7–20 mm long, lanceolate or ovate, acute or acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals green or yellow-green blotched with brownish-purple, particularly inside; petals bright yellow outside, creamy-yellow inside; lip yellow, the side lobes purple, spur purple-red.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals (8)15–18 × (3)6–10 mm, oblanceolate or obovate, apiculate, the laterals slightly longer than the dorsal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals (8)13–21 × (8)12.5–20 mm, orbicular or ovate, lying parallel to the column.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip (8)15–20 mm long, 3-lobed; side lobes 6.5–7 × 4.5–6.5 mm, erect, quite free from the column; mid-lobe 7.5–12 × 7.5–11 mm, the margins folded down, with a crest of 3–5 fleshy ridges down the centre; spur 2–4 mm long, conical, pointing backwards.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 5–9 mm long, with a foot about 6 mm long.

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
A terrestrial herb 50–150 cm. tall.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Perennating organs pseudobulbous, clustered, conical to cylindric-fusiform, 2.5–10 cm. tall, 1.7–2.5 cm. diameter, covered in first year by leaf-bases; roots 4–6 mm. diameter, white.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 4–9, plicate, in a fan, suberect, lanceolate, acuminate, 40–65 cm. long, 0.4–8 cm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence laxly many-flowered; peduncle 9 mm. diameter, with 5–11 sheaths along length; rhachis 15–35 cm. long; bracts lanceolate or ovate, acuminate, 7–20 mm. long, 5–8 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers spreading; sepals green or dull yellow veined and mottled with brown; petals yellow; lip darker yellow with reddish purple side lobes and a pale purple spur; column white; pedicel and ovary 15–22 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal oblanceolate to elliptic, acute or obtuse, 8–18 mm. long, 3–9.5 mm. wide; lateral sepals similar but longer.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals elliptic, circular or obovate, obtuse, 8–21 mm. long, 6–17 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip difficult to flatten, 3-lobed, 8–12 mm. long, 7.5–11 mm. wide; side lobes erect, rounded; mid-lobe conduplicate, obovate or elliptic, 7.5–12 mm. long; callus of 3–5 low fleshy rugulose ridges on mid-lobe.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur conical, tapering to apex, 2–3.5 mm. long, pointing backwards.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 5–8 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit pendent, oblong-ellipsoidal, 35–50 mm. long.
Figures
Pl. 3.

[E-EM]
General Description

Robust terrestrial herb 50–150 cm tall.Perennating organs pseudobulbous, mostly above ground, 2.5–10 cm tall, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, conical to cylindrical, ribbed, clustered.Roots 4–6 mm in diameter, fleshy, white.Leaves several, forming a fan, blade 40–65 × 0.5–8 cm, lanceolate, acute or acuminate, plicate.Inflorescences rather laxly many-flowered; scape stout with several sheaths along its length.Pedicel and ovary 15–25 mm long, arched so that the flowers face down; bracts 7–20 mm long, lanceolate or ovate, acute or acuminate.Sepals green or yellow-green blotched with brownish-purple, particularly inside; petals bright yellow outside, creamy-yellow inside; lip yellow, the side lobes purple, spur purple-red.Sepals (8)15–18 × (3)6–10 mm, oblanceolate or obovate, apiculate, the laterals slightly longer than the dorsal.Petals (8)13–21 × (8)12.5–20 mm, orbicular or ovate, lying parallel to the column.Lip (8)15–20 mm long, 3-lobed; side lobes 6.5–7 × 4.5–6.5 mm, erect, quite free from the column; mid-lobe 7.5–12 × 7.5–11 mm, the margins folded down, with a crest of 3–5 fleshy ridges down the centre; spur 2–4 mm long, conical, pointing backwards.Column 5–9 mm long, with a foot about 6 mm long.

A terrestrial herb 50–150 cm. tall. Perennating organs pseudobulbous, clustered, conical to cylindric-fusiform, 2.5–10 cm. tall, 1.7–2.5 cm. diameter, covered in first year by leaf-bases; roots 4–6 mm. diameter, white. Leaves 4–9, plicate, in a fan, suberect, lanceolate, acuminate, 40–65 cm. long, 0.4–8 cm. wide. Inflorescence laxly many-flowered; peduncle 9 mm. diameter, with 5–11 sheaths along length; rhachis 15–35 cm. long; bracts lanceolate or ovate, acuminate, 7–20 mm. long, 5–8 mm. wide. Flowers spreading; sepals green or dull yellow veined and mottled with brown; petals yellow; lip darker yellow with reddish purple side lobes and a pale purple spur; column white; pedicel and ovary 15–22 mm. long. Dorsal sepal oblanceolate to elliptic, acute or obtuse, 8–18 mm. long, 3–9.5 mm. wide; lateral sepals similar but longer. Petals elliptic, circular or obovate, obtuse, 8–21 mm. long, 6–17 mm. wide. Lip difficult to flatten, 3-lobed, 8–12 mm. long, 7.5–11 mm. wide; side lobes erect, rounded; mid-lobe conduplicate, obovate or elliptic, 7.5–12 mm. long; callus of 3–5 low fleshy rugulose ridges on mid-lobe; spur conical, tapering to apex, 2–3.5 mm. long, pointing backwards. Column 5–8 mm. long. Fruit pendent, oblong-ellipsoidal, 35–50 mm. long. Pl. 3.

Habitat

Submontane and dambo grasslands, mixed deciduous woodlands and forest margins, often on rocky outcrops, sometimes on termite mounds

Native to:

Angola, Burundi, Cape Provinces, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Northern Provinces, Rwanda, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Eulophia streptopetala Lindl. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jex-Blake, M., Kenya 10943.000 No
Hall, A.V. [662], South Africa 121.000 No
Kenya 138.000 No
Hall, A.V. [754], South Africa 27874.000 No
Hall, A.V. [765], South Africa 27894.000 No
Hall, A.V. [866], South Africa 27921.000 No
Richards, H.M. [20613], Tanzania 29291.000 No
Adamson, J. [203], Congo 29328.000 No
Hall, A.V. [915], South Africa 30076.000 No
Richards, H.M. [18465] 30999.000 No
Renvoize, S.A. [1722], Tanzania 33021.000 No
Thulin, M. [2858], Tanzania 39860.000 No
42336.000 No
Pfennig, H. [1152], Tanzania 42887.000 No
Kenya 42889.000 No
Bailes [346 B], Kenya 43969.000 No
Stead, D., Malawi 44306.000 No
Kenya 45022.000 No
la Croix, I., Malawi 51140.000 No
Hall, A.V. [625], South Africa 5710.000 No
Richards, H.M. [24179], Tanzania 6049.148 No
Luckel, E., South Africa 7516.000 No
Stolz, A. [2278], Tanzania K000078373 Unknown type material Yes
Stolz, A. [2278], Tanzania K000078374 Yes
Scott Elliot, G.F. [8613], Malawi K000078375 Unknown type material Yes
Riva, D. [1833], Eritrea K000078376 Unknown type material Yes
Schweinfurth, G. [168], Eritrea K000078377 Unknown type material Yes
Tanzania K000078378 Unknown type material Yes
Carson, Alexander [123], Gambia K000078379 No
Eggeling, W.J. [465], Uganda K000078381 holotype No
Eggeling, W.J. [465], Uganda K000078383 holotype No
Speke., Tanzania K000078384 Unknown type material Yes
Scott Elliot, G.F. [8268], Malawi K000078385 Unknown type material Yes
Welwitsch [731], Angola K000078386 Unknown type material Yes
Carson, A. [123], Tanzania K000078387 Unknown type material Yes
von Mechow, A. [138], Angola K000078388 Unknown type material Yes
Scott Elliot, G.F. [7871], Uganda K000078389 Unknown type material Yes
Oates [s.n.], Zimbabwe K000078390 Unknown type material Yes
Eggeling, W.J., Uganda K000078382 No
Mphamba, S. [41], Mozambique K000613738 No
Bone, R.E. [s.n.], Zambia 78371.000 No
Kirk, J. [s.n.], Malawi K000078380 Unknown type material Yes

First published in Bot. Reg. 12: t. 1002 (1826)

Accepted by

  • Demissew, S., Cribb, P. & Rasmussen, F. (2004). Field Guide to Ethiopian Orchids: 1-300. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Fischer, E., Rembold, K., Althof, A. & Obholzer, J. (2010). Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Kakamega forest, Western province, Kenya Journal of East African Natural History 99: 129-226.
  • Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Monocotyledons Database in ACCESS: 1-71827. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Johnson, S. & Bytebier, B. (2015). Orchids of South Africa. A field guide: 1-536. Struik nature, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Liltved, W.R. & Johnson, S.D. (2012). The Cape orchids. A regional monograph of the orchids of the Cape floristic region 2: 485-1022. Sandstone editions, Cape Town.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Johnson, S. & Bytebier, B. (2015). Orchids of South Africa. A field guide: 1-536. Struik nature, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Szlachetko, D.L. & Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. (2021). Orchidaceae of West-Central Africa 3: 1-555. Koeltz Scientific books, Koenigsheim, Germany.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Hall in Journ. S. Afr. Bot., Suppl. 5: 123 (1965).
  • J. Stewart et al., Wild Orch. S. Afr.: 239 (1982).
  • Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 12, t. 1002 (1826).

Eulophiinae: e-monocot.org

  • Lindley, J. Original description of Eulophia streptopetala. 12, (1827).

  • Eulophiinae: e-monocot.org

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  • Flora Zambesiaca

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  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

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  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

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    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0