Disa hircicornis Rchb. f.

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Disa hircicornis

Picture: Margaret Westrop
Zomba Plateau, Malawi

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Chelinda Bridge, Nyika National Park.

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Chelinda Bridge, Nyika National Park.

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Chelinda Bridge, Nyika National Park.

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Chelinda Bridge, Nyika National Park.

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Along Northern Loop, Nyika National Park.

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Along Northern Loop, Nyika National Park.

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Along Northern Loop, Nyika National Park.

Disa hircicornis

Picture: Bart Wursten
Along Northern Loop, Nyika National Park.

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Disa amblyopetala Schltr.
Disa culveri Schltr.
Disa laeta Rchb. f.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Terrestrial herb, 30-60 cm tall. Leaves usually 2 on a separate sterile shoot,semi-erect, narrowly elliptic to linear, up to 30 cm long, folded along the length. Leaves along the fertile shoot, lanceolate, 5-20 cm long, mostly sheathing, mottled or barred red at the base. Inflorescence 6-20 cm long, densely 20-70-flowered; bracts as tall or taller than the flowers, lanceolate with apices often reflexed. Flowers facing down at an angle of c. 45°, deep, dusty purple to purple-red. Dorsal sepal forming a conical hood, 4-6 mm with slender ascending spur, 8-13 mm long, sharply curving back in the middle. Lateral sepals spreading, 7.5 mm long, oblong. Petals erect, 4-5.5 mm long. Lip pendent, linear to narrowly elliptic, 4-5.5 mm long.
Type location:
Malawi near Mt Soche
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: hircicornis: with goat-like horns, presumably referring to the shape of the spur.
Habitat: In wet grassland and marshy areas.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:Dec - Feb
Worldwide distribution: Angola, Nigeria, Cameroon, DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): N,W,C,E
Zambian distribution (Provinces): Nw,N,Mc
Growth form(s): Terrestrial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Ball, J.S. (2009). Terrestrial African Orchids, A Selected Review. Pages 56 - 57. (Includes a picture).

Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 222 - 223. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 321. (Includes a picture).

Fibeck, W. & Dare, M. (1993). Terrestrial Orchids in Zimbabwe. Excelsa 16 Page 56.

Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 80. also as Disa amblyopetala

La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Page 180.

La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 123. (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 220 - 221. (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 95.

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 182 - 183. (Includes a picture).

Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 49 - 50. (Includes a picture).

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 119.

Stewart, J. & Campbell, B. (1996). Orchids of Kenya Timber Press Inc, Portland Oregon, USA ISBN0-88192-357-5 Page 105. (Includes a picture).

Summerhayes, V.S. (1964). African orchids XXIX Kew Bulletin 17(3) Pages 546 - 547.

Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 84 - 85. also as Disa amblyopetala (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 Disa hircicornis:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Disa hircicornis
Flora of Malawi: Disa hircicornis
Flora of Mozambique: Disa hircicornis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Disa hircicornis

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Species information: Disa hircicornis.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=117340, retrieved 28 March 2024

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