Orchidaceae
Porpax

Porpax atrorubra (Mansf.) Schuit., Y.P.Ng & H.A.Pedersen

First published in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 186: 199 (2018)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania (Uluguru Mountains). It is a pseudobulbous epiphyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/179623/1584404

Conservation
EN - endangered
[IUCN]

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

Morphology General Habit
A small creeping epiphytic herb to 6 cm. high.
Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs
Pseudobulbs rather elongate-ovoid, dorsiventrally flattened, closely spaced, 1.5 cm. long, 0.7 cm. high, 1–2-leaved at apex.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves oblong-elliptic, fleshy, 4–5 cm. long, 0.9–1.2 cm. wide, rounded at apex, emarginate, articulated to a short leaf-base 0.6 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence erect, densely 2–6-flowered, to 3.5 cm. long; peduncle short, 0.5–0.8 cm. long; bracts lanceolate, to 0.7 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers secund, dull red.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals lanceolate, 0.9 cm. long, 0.35 cm. wide, acuminate; lateral sepals oblique.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals curvate-lanceolate, 0.75 cm. long, 0.2 cm. wide, acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip curved, oblong-ovate when spread, V-shaped, canaliculate in cross-section, densely papillate above and beneath, 0.33 cm. long, 0.2 cm. wide, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column fleshy, truncate, 0.15 cm. long; foot 0.35 cm. long, curvate; anther-cap subhemispherical, verrucose.
Habitat
On mossy rocks and branches in upland mist forest; 1800–2400 m.
Distribution
known only from the Uluguru Mts. T6
[FTEA]

Sources

  • 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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. 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 2023. 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