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| Synonyms: |
Bilabrella falcata (G.Will.) |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Terrestrial herb c. 45 cm tall; tubers ovoid or ellipsoid.Stem leafy; leaves about 11, the lowest 3 sheathing, white with green reticulate veining, the next 4 erect, c. 10 × 1 cm, lanceolate, acute; the rest becoming bract-like.Inflorescence c. 15 × 4 cm, fairly laxly 16–30-flowered; bracts shorter than pedicel and ovary.Flowers green.Pedicel and ovary curved, c. 20 mm long.Dorsal sepal ± reflexed, 5 × 2 mm, elliptic, convex; lateral sepals deflexed, c. 8 × 5 mm, obliquely obovate with lateral apiculum.Petals 2-lobed almost to base; upper lobe c. 5 × 0.6 mm, erect; lower lobes reflexed, c. 9.5 mm long, lanceolate, the apex upturned.Lip pendent, 3-lobed almost to base; mid-lobe 8–11 mm long, obtuse; side lobes 9–12 mm long, acute; all lobes linear, c. 0.8 mm wide; spur c. 30 mm long, incurved, slender but swollen at apex, not twisted.Anther erect, slightly stalked, 1.8 mm long, the loculi parallel; canals porrect, c. 5 mm long; auricles c. 1 mm long, ± 3-lobed.Stigmatic arms c. 3 mm long, somewhat papillose, porrect, the apices truncate, lying parallel to each other.Rostellum mid-lobe 1.5 mm high, triangular.(Source: JSTOR/FZ) |
| Type location: |
Zambia, Mwinilunga |
| Notes: | This species has a very peculiar gynostemium architecture - it is distinctly stalked, like in Habenaria macrostele. However, stigmaphores and antherophores of B. falcata are elongate and slender. |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Seasonally damp, open, sandy grassland. |
| Altitude range: | |
| Flowering time: | Dec |
| Worldwide distribution: | DRC and Zambia. |
| Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): | W |
| Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Nw |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Page 93. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 121. Pope, G. (1995). Orchidaceae Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) |
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