Family:
Orchidaceae Juss.
Genus:
Satyrium Sw.

Satyrium sceptrum Schltr.

This species is accepted, and its native range is South Sudan to S. Tropical Africa.

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
A terrestrial herb 3–10.5 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tubers ellipsoid to conical-fusiform or fusiform, 2.5–5.5 cm. long, 8–17 mm. in diameter, glabrous.
Morphology Roots
Roots slender, flexuous, pubescent.
Morphology Stem
Fertile stem erect, terete, almost entirely covered by adpressed sheaths; sheaths 7–11, lanceolate, acute, the lower ones up to 7–16 cm. long and 1.5–4.5 cm. broad, the upper ones often much smaller, similar to the bracts. Sterile stem up to 12 cm. long, 2–5-leaved; lower 1–3 leaves reduced to tight sheaths, the upper 1–2 lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptical, acute or shortly acuminate, up to 10–47 cm. long and 2–7 cm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence cylindrical, 8–32 cm. long, 2–3 cm. in diameter, densely many-flowered; bracts usually soon becoming reflexed, lanceolate, acute, 1.5–3.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers curved outwards, orange-yellow to flame-coloured, very rarely white; pedicel with ovary slightly curved, ± 1 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals decurved, united in their basal fourth to one another and to the lip.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Intermediate sepal oblong-elliptical, obtuse or rounded, 6–10 mm. long, 1.5–2.5 mm. broad; laterals obliquely elliptical-oblong, subacute to obtuse, a little longer than the intermediate, 2.5–3.5 mm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals similar to intermediate sepal but oblique, 2–3 mm. broad; all tepals 3-veined.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip very convex and somewhat hooded, the apex shortly but distinctly reflexed, 6–9 mm. long and ± the same in breadth when spread out, mouth rather wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spurs parallel to the ovary, slender, somewhat tapering, 1–1.5 cm. long, 1–2 mm. in diameter at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column erect, 5–8 mm. high, the slender stalk longer than the fertile portion; anther-loculi pendent, ellipsoid; stigma erect, flat or with the sides curved forwards, transversely oblong, 1–2 mm. tall, 2–3.5 mm. broad, rostellum porrect, 3-lobed, the side lobes short, tooth-like, the middle lobe much longer, spoon-shaped from a narrower base.
Habitat
Upland grassland and open bushland, often in damp places; 1500–2700 m.
Distribution
K3 K4 K5 K6 T4 T7 T8 U1

[FZ]

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

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts reflexed, 20–30 mm long at base of inflorescence.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals decurved, joined to each other and lip in basal quarter.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Median sepal 7–11 × 2–3 mm, oblanceolate; lateral sepals longer, broader and oblique.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals similar to median sepal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip thick-textured, with a wide mouth, 8–14 mm long, 10–12 mm wide when spread out, very convex and hooded with the apex reflexed; spurs 13–17 mm long, slender, parallel to ovary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 7–11 mm tall; stigma 2–3 × 3 mm; rostellum mid-lobe much longer than side lobes.
Morphology General Habit
Robust terrestrial herb 40–90 cm high; tubers 1.5–5 cm long, ellipsoid to fusiform.
Morphology General Shoots
Sterile shoot 3–4-leaved, the lowermost 1–2 leaves sheathing, the upper leaves up to 30 × 8 cm, lanceolate or elliptic.
Sterile
Sterile shoot 3–4-leaved, the lowermost 1–2 leaves sheathing, the upper leaves up to 30 × 8 cm, lanceolate or elliptic.
Morphology Stem
Flowering stem with c. 10 imbricate, sheathing leaves up to 16 cm long.
Fertile
Flowering stem with c. 10 imbricate, sheathing leaves up to 16 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 7–26 × 3–3.5 cm, densely many-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers orange, apricot-yellow or salmon-red.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Ovary and pedicel 10–13 mm long.

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
A terrestrial herb 4–9 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tubers not seen.
Morphology Roots
Roots slender, flexuous, pubescent.
Morphology Stem
Fertile stem erect, rather stout, terete, almost entirely covered by adpressed sheathing leaves; leaves 7–12, lanceolate, acute, up to 6–16 cm. long and 1.5–4 cm. broad, decreasing in size up the stem. Sterile stem up to 10 cm. long, 2–3-leaved; lowermost leaf often reduced to a sheath, the other or others lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptical, acute, up to 12–30 cm. long and 3.5–7 cm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence cylindrical, 8–21 cm. long, 2.5–4 cm. in diameter, densely many-flowered; bracts soon becoming reflexed, lanceolate, acute, 1.3–4 cm. long, the lower ones often longer than the flowers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers curved outwards, apricot-yellow or salmon-pink to orange or orange-red; pedicel with ovary curved, ± 1 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Sepals and petals ± decurved, united with one another and to the lip in their basal quarter.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Intermediate sepal oblong-elliptical, obtuse or rounded, 7–11 mm. long, 2–3 mm. broad, laterals obliquely oblong-elliptical, curved, obtuse, a little longer than the intermediate, 3–4 mm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals lanceolate-elliptical, curved, subacute, equalling the intermediate sepal, ± 3 mm. broad; all tepals 3-nerved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip very convex, hooded, apex shortly reflexed, 8–13 mm. long, 10–12 mm. broad when spread out, mouth rather broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spurs slender, parallel to the ovary, 1.3–1.7 cm. long, 1–2 mm. in diameter at base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column enclosed in the lip, slightly curved, 7–11 mm. long, the stalk slender, longer than the fertile portion; anther-loculi hanging, ellipsoid; stigma erect, semi-orbicular to almost orbicular, 2–3 mm. high, 3 mm. broad, rostellum porrect, ± 3 mm. long, 3-lobed, the side lobes short, tooth-like, the middle lobe much longer, narrowly triangular, acute.
Habitat
Upland grassland, often in damp places; 1950–2550 m.
Distribution
T7

Native to:

Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Satyrium sceptrum Schltr. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Saska, M. [87], Tanzania 22979.000 No
Copley, H. [98], Kenya 22980.000 No
Richards, H.M. [8565], Tanzania 23789.000 No
Piers, F. [P.57], Kenya 23790.000 No
Milne-Redhead, E. [10400], Tanzania 24552.000 No
Tweedie, E.M. [665], Kenya 24553.000 No
Taylor, J., Kenya 24554.000 No
Richards, H.M. [14175], Tanzania Satyrium acutirostrum 23833.000 No
Richards, H.M. [14015], Tanzania Satyrium acutirostrum 23834.000 No
Holmes, W.D. [0208], Malawi Satyrium acutirostrum 23835.000 No
Ball, J.S. [791], Tanzania Satyrium acutirostrum 24608.000 No
Payne, C.B. [57537], Zimbabwe Satyrium acutirostrum 24704.000 No
Ball, J.S. [619], Zimbabwe Satyrium acutirostrum 25307.000 No
Chase, N.C. [GH.31343], Zimbabwe Satyrium acutirostrum 29633.000 No
Williamson, G. [267], Zambia Satyrium acutirostrum 33983.000 No
Fries, T.C.E. [3824], Zimbabwe Satyrium acutirostrum 9499.000 No
Linder, D.H. [2107], Congo, DRC Satyrium acutirostrum K000416090 Yes

First published in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53: 527 (1915)

Accepted by

  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Monocotyledons Database in ACCESS: 1-71827. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Literature

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Piers, E. Afr. Orch.: 103, fig. 59 (1951)
  • Piers, Orch. E. Afr.: 46, t. III/16 (1959).
  • Schltr. in A. Engler, Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 53: 527 (1915).
  • Tweedie in Journ. E.A. Nat. Hist. Soc. 24: 31 (1964).

  • Flora Zambesiaca

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  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

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  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0