Orchidaceae
Calanthe

Calanthe africana M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.

First published in Phytotaxa 472: 161 (2020)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Uganda to W. Central & S. Tropical Africa. It is a pseudobulbous 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
Glabrous terrestrial herb 50–70 cm tall, the whole plant turning blue-black when damaged or dried.
Morphology Roots
Roots many, arising from a pseudobulb-like structure, fleshy, 2–3 mm in diameter.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 5–6 ± rosulate; leaf c. 16 × 5 cm, elliptic-lanceolate to obovate, plicate; petiole up to 5.5 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence densely 5–6-flowered; flowers erect, white, the lip spotted with brownish-pink at base, the disk yellow.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Ovary and pedicel 13 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts 25–30 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal 25–30 × 6–10 mm, lanceolate, obtuse, cucullate at apex; lateral sepals 28–30 × 6.5–8 mm, obliquely elliptic-lanceolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals c. 27 × 7 mm, lanceolate, acute, keeled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip up to 28 × 16 mm, 3-lobed, with a blunt, sac-like spur c. 3 mm long; mid-lobe up to 10 mm long with 3 raised hairy keels running from near apex to base of lip; side lobes rounded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 10 mm long, slightly hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule hairy.
[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
Erect glabrous herb, all parts turning dull blue-green when damaged or dried, with scape up to 70 cm. high, arising from apex of tuber.
Morphology Roots
Roots velamen-covered, arising from all parts of tuber; tubers slightly thickened to form a pseudobulb-like structure bearing the scape and up to 6 leaves in a false rosette.
Morphology Stem
Stem up to 60 cm. high, bearing up to 5 evenly spaced cataphylls ± sheathing upper part of stem, free to base in lower part, acuminate or acute, 3–4 cm. long.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves erect or spreading, elliptic-lanceolate to obovate, acuminate, ± petiolate, with broad persistent bases, up to 35 cm. long and 6 cm. broad, dull purplish green.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences up to 50 cm. long, with 3–6 flowers clustered towards apex; peduncle up to 45 cm. long; rhachis up to 8 cm. long; bracts oblong-lanceolate, slightly spathulate, up to 2.3 cm. long and 1 cm. broad, foliaceous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers thick-textured, not opening widely, basically white but very easily and rapidly turning blue-green when damaged, lip sparsely spotted brown at base, disc yellow.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal lanceolate, obtuse, cucullate at apex, up to 3 cm. long and 1 cm. broad, foliaceous. Lateral sepals elliptic-lanceolate, ± asymmetrical, cucullate at apex, up to 3 cm. long and 0.8 cm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals elliptic-lanceolate, slightly spathulate, obtuse, very slightly cucullate, up to 2.8 cm. long and 0.8 cm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed, slightly saccate at base, up to 2.8 cm. long, 1.6 cm. broad; side lobes rounded; mid-lobe oblong, acute, up to 1 cm. long, with 3 contiguous raised hairy keels along entire length, extending to base of lip.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column slightly hairy on back and at base, 1 cm. long, with very small column-foot; rostellum present.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule pilose.
Figures
Fig. 58.
Habitat
Miscanthidiun and Sphagnum swamps; 1100–1400 m.
Distribution
U2 U4
[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

    • '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 2025. 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 2025. 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