Orchidaceae
Habenaria

Habenaria splendens Rendle

First published in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 30: 395 (1895)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Ethiopia to Zambia. 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 35–70 cm high with ovoid or ellipsoid tubers 3–4 cm long.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 6–12, the 2 lowermost sheathing, the mid-cauline largest and up to 20 × 6 cm, ovate, acute, loosely funnel-shaped at base, dark green with 3 prominent longitudinal veins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 10–22 × 7–9 cm, fairly laxly 4–20-flowered; bracts up to 6 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals green, petals and lip white.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Ovary and pedicel erect, slightly arched, 25–35 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal 23–30 × 12–13 mm, ovate, erect; lateral sepals 22–31 × 8–10 mm, obliquely ovate, spreading.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 20–30 × 4–8 mm, falcate, entire, adnate to dorsal sepal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 25–40 mm long, 3-lobed with a basal claw 7–13 mm long, the claw and base of lobes densely pubescent; mid-lobe 15–23 × 1 mm, linear; side lobes 18–24 mm long, fimbriate towards the apex with 8–12 branches c. 7 mm long; spur 25–50 mm long, sigmoid, slightly swollen at apex, pendent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anther connective 12–18 mm wide, 3–4 mm high; canals 4–6 mm long, erect.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes
Staminodes stalked, c. 2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmatic arms 16–20 mm long, joined to the side lobes of the rostellum in the basal half.
[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]

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

Morphology General Habit
A terrestrial herb 3–7.5 dm. high.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tubers ellipsoid, 1.5–3 cm. long, 8–15 mm. in diameter, woolly.
Morphology Stem
Stem erect, rather stout, leafy.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 6–8, the lowermost 1 or 2 sheath-like, the remainder lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate or ovate, very acute, the largest 6–20 cm. long and 2.5–8 cm. broad, decreasing in size towards the inflorescence, the uppermost similar to the bracts.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 8–27 cm. long, 6–10 cm. in diameter, rather laxly 4–17-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, acuminate, the lowest ones equalling or longer than the flowers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers suberect, sepals pale green, petals and lip white, often fragrant; pedicel with ovary 2.5–3 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal erect, broadly lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptical, apiculate, 2–3 cm. long, 9–15 mm. broad; laterals spreading, very obliquely lance- olate, acuminate, a little longer than the dorsal but narrower.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals erect, adherent to the dorsal sepal, very curved, ligulate or lanceolate-ligulate, often angled on the outside below the middle, as long as the dorsal sepal, 5–9 mm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip with a narrow undivided claw 7–13 mm. long, then deeply 3-lobed, the claw and lobe-bases densely pubescent; middle lobe often ± deflexed, linear, 2–3 cm. long, 1–2 mm. broad; side lobes diverging, a little longer than the middle lobe with 6–12 threads on the outer margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur incurved, ± S-shaped, swollen in apical part, 3–4 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anther-connective horseshoe-shaped, 3–4 mm. high and 11–18 mm. broad, loculi at each end, canals erect, slender, 4–6 mm. long, auricles with slender stalk and ellipsoid apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmas united to rostellum side lobes in lower half, receptive terminal parts somewhat swollen, 5–7 mm. long, middle lobe of rostellum scarcely recognizable, very broad and short.
Habitat
Upland grassland, often near forest margins; 1000–2400 m.
Distribution
K3 K4 K5 T2 T3 T5 T6 T7 U2 U3
[FTEA]

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 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