Orchidaceae
Graphorkis

Graphorkis lurida (Sw.) Kuntze

First published in Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 662 (1891)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa. It is a pseudobulbous epiphyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Epiphytic herb.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Pseudobulbs 3–9 × 1–3 cm, conical-ovoid or cylindrical-fusiform, ribbed, 3–5-noded, yellow, set close together on a woody rhizome; roots c. 2 mm in diameter, clinging to the substrate*.Leaves 20–40 cm long, including the petiole, 1.5–4 cm wide, narrowly elliptic, acute or acuminate, plicate, deciduous, articulated to a persistent sheathing base; median and some secondary nerves hard and remaining as spines after the lamina is shed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence arising from the base of a pseudobulb when the plant is leafless, erect, paniculate with spreading branches, many-flowered; scape with 3–4 sheaths.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel 8–9 mm long; ovary 3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts 1–3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellowish flushed with purple, particularly on the outer surface; lip with deep yellow mid-lobe.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5–7 × 1.5–2 mm, oblanceolate, subacute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 4–6 × 2.5–3 mm, elliptic, obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 4–6 × 3–3.5 mm, 3-lobed; side lobes erect, oblong, rounded; mid-lobe c. 2 × 3 mm, bifid or retuse; disk with 2 fleshy keels; spur 4–6 mm long, bent forward, obtuse or bifid at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 3 mm long, erect, oblong, with 2 auricles at the base.
[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
An erect epiphytic herb.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Pseudobulbs cylindrical-fusiform or conical-ovoid, yellowish, with 3–5 nodes, 3–9 cm. long, 1–3 cm. broad, 4–6-leaved.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves narrowly elliptic, acute to acuminate, plicate, articulated at a persistent sheathing base, thin-textured; median and some secondary nerves prominent and hard, partially remaining as sharp, rigid thorns after lamina is shed; sheaths blackish brown along margins and at base, becoming scarious and fibrous, 2–3(–5) cm. long; lamina, including petiole, 20–40 cm. long, 1.5–3.5(–4) cm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence erect, paniculate, 15–50 cm. long, appearing from base of pseudobulbs; branches spreading, 3–22 cm. long, many-flowered; sterile bracts 3–4, remote, ovate-elliptic, obtuse to acute, amplexicaul, 1.5–4 cm. long; bracts subtending branches ovate-elliptic or narrowly elliptic, acute, 0.8–2.5 cm. long; fertile bracts triangular-ovate, acute, 0.1–0.3 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers with sepals purple or brown on the outside, pale green inside, petals pale green or cream flushed purple or brown, lip with pale greenish yellow side lobes and deep yellow mid-lobe.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicel with ovary slender, 10–15 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals spathulate-oblong, obtuse, 5–6.5 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals elliptic, obtuse, 4–6 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed, 5–6 mm. long, 3 mm. broad; mid-lobe retuse to bifid; side lobes oblong, obtuse, erect; disc with 2 fleshy keels.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur cylindrical, obtuse, sharply bent forward, 3–4 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column erect, oblong, biauriculate at base, 3 mm. long; anther ovate.
Figures
Pl. 1. Fig. 89.
Habitat
In forest, often epiphytic on palms, particularly Hyphaene; 1050–1300 m.
Distribution
T4 U2 U3 U4
[FTEA]

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]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • 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 2024. 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 2024. 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