Orchidaceae
Polystachya

Polystachya armeniaca la Croix & P.J.Cribb

First published in Kew Bull. 51: 573 (1996)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Uganda, S. DR Congo to Zambia. It is a rhizomatous epiphyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit
Erect, epiphytic herb up to c. 40 cm tall.
Morphology Stem
Stems clustered on a short rhizome, cylindrical, not swollen at the base, 2–3 mm in diameter, 2–3-leaved.
Morphology Roots
Roots c. 1 mm in diameter.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves suberect, 5.5–21 × 1.8–4.2 cm, narrowly lanceolate, acute, articulated to sheathing leaf bases.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence (floral axis) shorter than the leaves, simple or with a few short branches up to 2.5 cm long; peduncle glabrous, covered with a few loose sheaths; rhachis glabrous; bracts 2–3.5 mm long, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers orange, yellow or cream-coloured, the lip slightly darker, with an orange callus, the side lobes with reddish veins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel and ovary 5–10 mm long, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal 11 × 3.2–5 mm, ovate; lateral sepals 13–14 × 8–9 mm, obliquely ovate, forming with the column foot a distinct, obliquely conical mentum.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 9–11 × 3.5–4.5 mm, oblanceolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed in the middle, 11 × 10 mm, with some clavate hairs on the inner surface; mid-lobe ovate, 6 × 5 mm long; side lobes rounded; callus a longitudinal ridge from the base of the lip to the base of the mid-lobe.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column short, whitish with a red spot on the anther.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule c. 3 cm long.
[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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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