Orchidaceae
Polystachya

Polystachya leucosepala P.J.Cribb

First published in Kew Bull. 32: 689 (1978)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is N. Kenya (Mt. Nyiru), N. Tanzania (Mt. Meru). It is a pseudobulbous epiphyte and grows primarily in the wet 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, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
A medium-sized epiphytic herb to 15 cm. high.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Pseudobulbs narrowly conical, to 3.5 cm. long, 0.9 cm. in diameter, glossy dark yellow-brown when dry, 2-leaved at the apex.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves narrowly elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 6–15.5 cm. long, 1.4 cm. wide, acute, obscurely bilobed at apex, glossy light green drying dark brown-black; petiole to articulation 1.5–2.5 cm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence borne on new shoot ± before the pseudobulb develops, to 11 cm. long, 2–3-flowered; bracts small, setaceous, lanceolate, 2.5 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 2.5 cm. across, sweet-scented; sepals and petals white, lip with a pale yellow callus edged with crimson, side lobes with a crimson margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal ovate, apiculate, 13.5 mm. long, 7.1 mm. wide; lateral sepals obliquely ovate, acute, to 16 mm. long, 11.5 mm. wide, with a low keel on the outer surface.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals obovate, subacute, 12.8 mm. long, 6.1 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed, clavate-pubescent all over, 16.2 mm. long, 12 mm. wide; side lobes erect, oblong-falcate, truncate; mid-lobe oblong, recurved, obtuse, 7 mm. long, 6.5 mm. wide, with a fleshy thickening in the centre; disc with a basal narrow keel to middle.
Figures
Fig. 86.
Habitat
Epiphyte in mossy montane forest; 2000–2200 m.
Distribution
not known elsewhere T2
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • 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 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