Orchidaceae
Habenaria

Habenaria nicholsonii Rolfe

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 7: 571 (1898)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. DR Congo to Zambia. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

Morphology General Habit
Terrestrial herb c. 40 cm tall.
Morphology Stem
Stem erect, with 2 basal foliage leaves and about 6 sheath-like leaves scattered along its length.
Morphology Leaves
Basal leaves appressed to ground, the larger 3–3.5 × 3–4.5 cm, ± orbicular, cordate at base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 10–16 × 5–8 cm, laxly 3–8-flowered; bracts up to 18 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals green, petals and lip white.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Ovary and pedicel c. 25 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal erect, 11 × 5–5.5 mm, elliptic, convex; lateral sepals 12 × 2–2.5 mm, reflexed, rolled up lengthways.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 11 × 2.5 mm, entire, falcate, adnate to dorsal sepal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed to c. 2 mm from base; mid-lobe 13–16 × 2.3–3 mm; side lobes 18–22 × 5–8.5 mm; spur 20–21 mm long, swollenin apical half.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anther 2–3.5 mm high.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmatic arms 5 mm long.
[FZ]

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