Orchidaceae
Nervilia

Nervilia stolziana Schltr.

First published in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53: 550 (1915)
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
Erect terrestrial herb 2.7–13.5 cm tall, glabrous except for leaf, lip and subterranean parts.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tuber 6–9 mm in diameter, subspherical or ovoid, 3–4-noded.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf solitary, appearing after flowering, prostrate, 1.4–3.0(3.9) × 2.0–3.5(4.2) cm, reniform to orbicular, obtuse, covered with short stiff hairs on the upper surface and often with a silvery reticulate pattern, usually purple beneath; veins(5)7–11; petiole 5–7 mm long, sulcate with 1–2 sheathing cataphylls.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Scape
Scape erect, terete, 1-flowered, with 2–3 sheathing cataphylls, lengthening to 16–23 cm when fruiting.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers ± horizontal; bracts 0.5–3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals spreading, closing again after about 8 hours anthesis or after pollination, subequal, linear-lanceolate, acute, reddish-green; lateral sepals slightly oblique, 12–16 × 2 mm; petals slightly shorter, to 14 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 14–23(including spur) × 8–12.5 mm, elliptic to elliptic-cuneate, spurred, lilac, mauve or red with white markings and yellow centre, with numerous long papillae on inner surface; veins with several anostomoses; spur straight, short, often slightly bifid, 3–4.2 × 2.6 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column almost straight, 6–7 mm long, clavate, glabrous; pollinia yellow, c. 2.5 mm long.
[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 small erect terrestrial herb to 8 cm. high.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tuber small, globose, to 0.8 cm. diameter, slightly compressed.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf prostrate, reniform, cordate at base, slightly flabellate-undulate, 1.4–2 cm. long, 2–3 cm. wide, obtuse, sparsely and shortly pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Scape
Scape slender, terete, 1-flowered at apex, bearing 2 sheathing cataphylls; bract small, ovate, 0.2 cm. long, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flower suberect, becoming pendent, yellowish green.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals linear-lanceolate, scarcely spreading, to 1.6 cm. long, 0.2 cm. wide, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals similar but shorter, to 1.4 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip elliptic to elliptic-cuneate, spurred, 1.1 cm. long, 0.8 cm. wide, undulate at apex, with numerous long papillae on lamina in apical half.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur straight, rounded, 0.3 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column dilated above, terete, 0.6 cm. long; anther-cap oblong.
Figures
Fig. 54/5, p. 272.
Habitat
In sandy soil in deciduous woodland; 700–1500 m.
Distribution
T7
[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 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