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| Synonyms: |
Bilabrella anaphysema (Rchb.f.) |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Slender terrestrial herb 20–75 cm tall. Tubers 1–2 × 0.5–1 cm, globose or ellipsoid. Stem leafy; leaves 6–12, the lowermost sheath-like, the upper ones grading into bracts, the remainder ± erect, the largest 7–16 cm × 3–10 mm, linear, the edges sometimes inrolled. Inflorescence 6–20 × 3–3.5 cm, rather laxly or densely 6–26-flowered.Flowers green. Pedicel c. 10 mm long, ovary c. 7 mm; bracts 5–15 mm long, shorter than pedicel and ovary, often brown at tips. Dorsal sepal usually reflexed but occasionally erect, 4–6.5 × 4–5 mm, elliptic, convex; lateral sepals deflexed, 6–9 × 4–5 mm, obliquely obovate with lateral apiculum. Petals 2-lobed almost to base; upper lobe 4–5 × 0.5 mm, linear, erect or recurved, ciliolate; lower lobe 8–15 × 1–2 mm, narrowly lanceolate, curving downwards. Lip deflexed, 3-lobed to 1–2 mm from base; mid-lobe 8–15 mm long, side lobes 4–8 mm long, all lobes linear, c. 0.5 mm wide; spur 8–15 mm long, slender but swollen at apex, at first parallel to ovary, then forming a complete loop so that the tip points up. Anther 2.5–4 mm high; anther canals 3.5–6.5 mm long, slightly incurved. Stigmatic arms 3–6 mm long, slender, enlarged and truncate at apex. Rostellum mid-lobe 1.5–3 mm long, triangular, acute.(Source: JSTOR/FZ) |
| Notes: | This is the only member of the genus with spur forming a complete loop. Given from the Republic of Congo by Sita & Moutsambote (1988). |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Terrestrial in swamp and seasonally flooded grasslands. |
| Altitude range: | |
| Flowering time: | Nov - May |
| Worldwide distribution: | Central African Republic, DRC, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe. |
| Malawi distribution: | N |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 325. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 29. Fibeck, W. & Dare, M. (1993). Terrestrial Orchids in Zimbabwe. Excelsa 16 Page 63. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 181. Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 82. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Page 88. La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 68. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 96. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 121. Pope, G. (1995). Orchidaceae Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Summerhayes, V.S. (1968). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora of Tropical East Africa Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 55 - 56. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 84. |
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