Orchidaceae
Habenaria

Habenaria mechowii Rchb.f.

First published in Flora 65: 532 (1882)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to S. Tropical Africa. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:1. 1995

Morphology General Habit
Robust terrestrial herb 45–60 cm tall; tubers 3–6 cm long, ovoid to ellipsoid.
Morphology Stem
Stem erect, with 2 basal leaves and 5–13 bract-like leaves scattered along its length.
Morphology Leaves
Basal leaves appressed to ground, 4.5–6.5 × 6–8 cm, reniform or ovate, cordate at base, apiculate or rounded, rather fleshy; bract-like leaves up to 5 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 10–20 cm long, loosely or fairly densely 2–9-flowered; bracts 35–40 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers pale green.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel 20 mm long; ovary arched, 25–30 mm long with 6 toothed keels.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals all with 3 toothed keels on outside; dorsal sepal erect, 20–28 × 9–15 mm, ovate, convex; lateral sepals 22–27 × 7–9 mm, obliquely lanceolate with curved apiculus, deflexed and rolled up lengthways.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 2-lobed ± to base, the lobes horn-like, c. 1 mm wide; posterior lobe 20–45 mm long, erect; anterior lobe 33–75 mm long, curved outwards and upwards.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed almost to base, projecting forwards and curving up, the lobes linear, fleshy, 1–2 mm wide; mid-lobe 35–45 mm long, side lobes 25–40 mm long; spur 3.5–6.5 cm long, very swollen, up to 5 mm diameter near apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anther 9–10 mm high, erect, apiculate; canals 7–8 mm long, slender, the last 2 mm upturned.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmatic arms 7.5–12 mm long, slender but enlarged and truncate at apex.
[FZ]

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

  • 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 2025. 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 2025. 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