Home | > | List of families | > | Orchidaceae | > | Habenaria | > | papyracea |
Synonyms: | |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Terrestrial herb 30–60 cm tall; tuber ellipsoid to globose, 1.5–3 cm long, densely hairy. Leaves 6–14 along the stem, lowermost 2–4 loosely sheathing, upper ones grading into bracts, middle ones spreading, elliptic, oblanceolate or ovate, 5–14 cm long. Inflorescence 10–30 cm long, densely many-flowered; bracts 15–30 mm long, usually equalling or shorter than the flower. Flowers green. Dorsal sepal ovate, 4.5–9 mm long, erect, convex; lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, 5.5–10 mm long, deflexed. Petals 2-lobed; upper lobe linear, 4–6.5 mm long, erect; lower lobe narrowly linear, 6–12 mm long, spreading and curving upwards. Lip 3-lobed; mid-lobe linear, 5.5–10 mm long, side lobes linear, 8–14 mm long; spur 7–20 mm long, slender, pendent. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | papyracea: papery, referring to the leaves drying papery. |
Habitat: | In Brachystegia woodland and mixed woodland, on rocky hillsides and amongst rocks. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 1250 - 1800 m |
Flowering time: | Feb - Mar |
Worldwide distribution: | Nigeria, DRC, Sudan, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,C |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Thursday 15 August 2019 |
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 326. Fibeck, W. & Dare, M. (1993). Terrestrial Orchids in Zimbabwe. Excelsa 16 Page 64. Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 83. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Pages 83 - 84. La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 64. (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. Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 48 - 49. (Includes a picture). |
Home | > | List of families | > | Orchidaceae | > | Habenaria | > | papyracea |