Polystachya concreta (Jacq.) Garay & H.R. Sweet

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Globe Rock, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Bomponi, Burma Valley

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Synonyms:	Polystachya mauritiana Spreng. Polystachya tessellata Lindl.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Robust epiphyte or occasional lithophyte. Pseudobulbs conical, ribbed, sometimes obscured by bases of the large elliptic or oblanceolate leaves. Inflorescence up to 45 cm, shortly branched, many-flowered, often subsecund. Flowers normally bright yellow with a lighter lip but other colour forms occur.
Notes:	There has been considerable debate on whether the African Polystachya tessellata is taxonomically distinct from the neotropical and Asian P. concreta. Garay & Sweet (1974)
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	In riverine forest and high rainfall Brachystegia woodland.
Altitude range:	Up to 1450 m
Flowering time:	Jan - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	The only more or less pantropical species in Polystachya, occurring throughout most of tropical Africa and South Africa, tropical Asia and in the neotopics from Florida to Brasil.
Malawi distribution:	N,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Ball, J.S. (1978). Southern African Epiphytic Orchids. Conservation Press, Johannesburg. Pages 168 - 169. as Polystachya tessellata (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 45. As Polystachya tessellata Cribb, P.J. (1984). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 360 - 362. as Polystachya tessellata Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 106 - 107. (Includes a picture). Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 85. As Polystachya tessellata Kimberley, M.J. (2003). A List of Epiphytic Orchids of Zimbabwe Excelsa 20 Page 50. as Polystachya tessellata La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 338 - 339. as Polystachya tessellata La Croix, I. et al. (1983). Malawi Orchids Volume 1 Epiphytic Orchids National Fauna Preservation Society of Malawi Pages 117 - 118. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Pages 212 - 214. as Polystachya tessellata (Includes a picture). La Croix, I.F. & La Croix T.M. (1983). Orchids of Bvumbwe The Society of Malawi Journal 36(2) Page 17. Linder, H.P. & Kurzweil, H. (1999). Orchids of Southern Africa A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands ISBN 90-5410-445-7 Pages 412 - 413. as Polystachya tessellata 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 97. As Polystachya tessellata McMurtry, D., Grobler, L., Grobler, J. & Burns, S. (2008). Field Guide to the ORCHIDS of Northern South Africa and Swaziland Umdaus Press, PO Box 11059 Hatfield 0028 South Africa Pages 398 - 399. as Polystachya mauritiana (Includes a picture). Morris, B. (1965). Epiphytic orchids of the Limbuli Stream, Mlanje The Society of Malawi Journal 18(2) Page 62. As Polystachya tessellata Morris, B. (1967). The epiphytic orchids of Soche Mountain. Historic and Scientific Society of Malawi Journal 20(2) Page 32. As Polystachya tesselata Morris, B. (1970). Epiphytic Orchids of Malawi The Society of Malawi Pages 58 - 60. as Polystachya tessellata (Includes a picture). Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. (2011). A Monograph of the Subtribe Polystachyinae Schltr. (Orchidaceae) University of Gdansk, Poland, ISBN 978 83 7531 174 4 Pages 85 - 88. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 124. As Polystachya tesselata Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 242 - 243. (Includes a picture). Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1976). A Provisional Checklist of the Orchidaceae of Mozambique South African Journal of Botany 42(4) Page 391. as Polystachya tessellata Stewart, J. & Campbell, B. (1996). Orchids of Kenya Timber Press Inc, Portland Oregon, USA ISBN0-88192-357-5 Pages 73 - 74. as Polystachya tessellata (Includes a picture). Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 140. as Polystachya tessellata Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 120 - 121. as Polystachya tesselata (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 84.

Other sources of information about Polystachya concreta:

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Flora of Burundi: Polystachya concreta
Flora of Mozambique: Polystachya concreta
Flora of Zambia: Polystachya concreta
Flora of Zimbabwe: Polystachya concreta

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Polystachya concreta
African Plant Database: Polystachya concreta
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Polystachya concreta
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Polystachya concreta
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Polystachya concreta
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iNaturalist: Polystachya concreta
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Polystachya concreta
JSTOR Plant Science: Polystachya concreta
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Polystachya concreta
Plants of the World Online: Polystachya concreta
Tropicos: Polystachya concreta
Wikipedia: Polystachya concreta