| Home | > | List of families | > | Orchidaceae | > | Tridactyle | > | citrina |
| Synonyms: |
Tridactyle sp. of Williamson, Orch. S. Centr. Africa: 205 (1977). |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Erect, epiphytic herb. Stem usually short, 1–9 cm long. Roots stout, smooth or very slightly verrucose. Leaves 3–4, stiff, more or less erect, linear, 7–14 cm long, folded along the length, unequally 2-lobed at the apex, slightly blueish-green. Inflorescences 1 or 2, arising at base of the stem, arching, 7.5–11 cm long, fairly densely c. 10-flowered. Flowers yellow, creamy-yellow or greenish-cream, c. 15 mm in diameter, arranged in 2 ranks. Sepals and petals lanceolate; sepals 8–11 mm long, lateral sepals somewhat oblique with the tips reflexed. Petals spreading, reflexed at tips, 7–8 mm long. Lip 3-lobed in apical half, 10–16 mm long, 3–5 mm wide; mid-lobe narrowly triangular, 3.5–5 long; side lobes shorter, obliquely spreading; spur 4–5 cm long, slender, at first parallel to ovary, then pendent. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | citrina; citrine or lime-coloured, referring to the flowers. |
| Habitat: | Woodland and scattered trees in montane grassland on mountain sides or in high rainfall Brachystegia woodland, usually on larger branches. |
| Altitude range: | 1360 - 1700 m |
| Flowering time: | Dec - Jan |
| Worldwide distribution: | Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. |
| 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 336. (Includes a picture). Cribb, P.J. (1977). New orchids from South Central Africa Kew Bulletin 32(1) Pages 181 - 183. Protologue (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Page 454. La Croix, I. et al. (1983). Malawi Orchids Volume 1 Epiphytic Orchids National Fauna Preservation Society of Malawi Pages 136 - 137. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 290. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 124. Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 204 - 206. as Tridactyle sp. (Includes a picture). |
| Home | > | List of families | > | Orchidaceae | > | Tridactyle | > | citrina |