Orchidaceae
Polystachya

Polystachya minima Rendle

First published in J. Bot. 33: 198 (1895)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Malawi. It is a pseudobulbous epiphyte 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 & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit
Slender epiphytic, rarely lithophytic, herb, forming chains of pseudobulbs.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Pseudobulbs 10–13 × 8–12 mm, ovoid, slightly ribbed, with 1 node near the apex, pale green, 2–3-leaved.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves up to 13 × 0.7 cm, linear, grass-like, deciduous in the dry season.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers with a spicy scent, yellow, the lateral sepals sometimes with a purple mid-line, the lip white with purple marks. Flowers borne on the new growth, the leaves ± developed at anthesis; inflorescence (floral axis) 10–14 cm tall, up to 10-flowered, the peduncle and rhachis pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel and ovary 6 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts 3 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal 6.2–8 × 3 mm, lanceolate, acute; lateral sepals 7.7–9 × 4–6 mm, obliquely triangular, acuminate, forming with the column foot a bifid, cylindrical mentum 5 mm high.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 6–7 × 1–1.5 mm, oblanceolate, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip much recurved, 3-lobed, with a glabrous, longitudinal callus running from the base to the junction of the lobes, 7–9 × 4.5–5.5 mm when flattened; mid-lobe 3–5 × 2.2–2.5 mm, lanceolate, acute, papillose with an erose margin; side lobes erect; column 2 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 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