Bulbophyllum ballii P.J. Cribb

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Bulbophyllum ballii

Photo: Bart Wursten
Below Castleburn Cliffs, Vumba.

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Synonyms: Bulbophyllum sp. no. 2 (Ball 258)
Common names:
Frequency: Local and uncommon
Status: Native
Description:
Small epiphyte, forming small colonies of closely spaced pseudobulbs. Pseudobulbs small, c. 15 × 10 mm, ovoid, bearing 1 or sometimes 2 lanceolate leaves, up to 6 cm. Inflorescence usually pendulous, borne from the base of the pseudobulb. Flowers spirally arranged along a slightly swollen rhachis, small, straw-coloured, heavily spotted with purple-red. Lip deep purple-red.
Notes: The species may be restricted to the border mountains of Zimbabwe and Mozambique or may also occur in Zambia (G. Williamson 141). It is only known from scattered localities, some riverine areas being under threat.
Derivation of specific name: ballii: named after John Ball, orchidologist, who collected the type for this species.
Habitat: in evergreen forest.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:Feb - Mar
Worldwide distribution: Mozambique, Zimbabwe and ?Zambia (see note)
Zimbabwe distribution: E
Growth form(s): Epiphyte.
Endemic status: Near Endemic
Red data list status: Vulnerable
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 78 - 79. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 11.

Cribb, P.J. (1977). New orchids from South Central Africa Kew Bulletin 32(1) Pages 158 - 159. (Includes a picture).

Darbyshire, I., Timberlake, J., Osborne, J., Rokni, S., Matimele, H., Langa. C., Datizua, C., de Sousa, C., Alves, T., Massingue, A., Hadj-Hammou, J., Dhanda, S., Shah, T., Wursten, B. (2019). The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status Phytotaxa 136 Page 77.

Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 167.

Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 79. as Bulbophyllum sp. no. 2

Kimberley, M.J. (2003). A List of Epiphytic Orchids of Zimbabwe Excelsa 20 Page 49.

La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Pages 303 - 305. (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 94.

Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 71.

Vermeulen, J.J. (1987). A Taxonomic Revision of the Continental African Bulbophyllinae Orchid Monographs Volume 2 E.J. Brill, Leiden-New York-Kopnhavn-Koln Pages 134 - 135. (Includes a picture).

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 83.


Other sources of information about Bulbophyllum ballii:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Bulbophyllum ballii

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Bulbophyllum ballii.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=118150, retrieved 19 March 2024

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