Home | > | List of families | > | Orchidaceae | > | Habenaria | > | galactantha |
Synonyms: |
Arachnaria galactantha (Kraenzl.) Szlach. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Terrestrial herb 45–80 cm tall, growing from more or less globose to ovoid tubers, up to 2.5 cm long. Basal leaves 2, appressed to the ground, broadly ovate to orbicular, 4–8 cm long; stem leaves c. 6, sheath-like, up to 5.5 cm long. Inflorescence 9–18 cm long, rather laxly 5–13-flowered; bracts 12–25 mm long. Sepals greenish-white, papillose or pubescent on outside, petals and lip white. Dorsal sepal ovate, convex, erect, 6-9 mm long; lateral sepals deflexed, obliquely semi-ovate, 8-11 mm long. Petals 2-lobed almost to base; upper lobe curved lanceolate, 5.5–9.5 mm long, lying inside dorsal sepal; lower lobe deflexed, oblanceolate, 6.5–12 mm long. Lip 3-lobed with lobes oblanceolate; mid-lobe 7–13 mm long; side lobes 5.5–12 mm long, slightly incurved; spur 3–11.5 cm long, slender but swollen at apex. |
Notes: | Not cited for Zimbabwe by LaCroix & Cribb in Flora Zambesiaca 11-1 (1991). The differences between this species and H. macrura are small and somewhat confusing. The spur in H. macrura is said to be 9-20 cm long but for this species the spur in some literature is said to be only 4 cm but in FZ is said to be 3-11 cm, which somewhat overlaps with that of H. macrura. Measurements of other floral parts also overlap but overall the flowers in this species are somewhat smaller than those of H. macrura. |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | In Brachystegia woodland. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 700 - 1500 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | DRC, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,C |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | Data deficient |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Tuesday 9 March 2021 |
Literature: |
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 83. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Page 135. La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 91. (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 64 - 67. (Includes a picture). |
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