Disa ukingensis Schltr.

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Picture: Bart Wursten
Along main road between Lake Kaulime turn-off and Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Terrestrial herb with separate fertile and sterile shoots. Sterile shoot with up to 5 leaves, linear-lanceolate, 7–12 cm long, erect. Fertile shoot robust, 15–30 cm tall with leaves along the stem ovate-lanceolate, 4.5–5.5 cm long, sheathing with the apical third free; basal leaves reduced to sheaths 2–3 cm long. Inflorescence dense, 7–15-flowered, 6–10 cm long; bracts ovate, c. 3 cm long, overtopping the flowers. Flowers magenta, dorsal sepal paler with darker spots. Dorsal sepal spathulate, 10–13 mm in diameter, round, shallowly helmet-shaped; margin incurved. Spur pendent from just below the middle of the dorsal sepal, reaching to the base, 4–6 mm long, club-shaped. Lateral sepals oblong, 9–13 mm long, spreading sideways and upwards. Petals 2-lobed; anterior lobe 6–7 mm long, the margins incurved and sometimes serrate; posterior lobe more or less ovate, 7–8 mm long, occasionally serrate, erect inside the hood. Lip pendent, linear, 10–11 mm long.
Type location:	Tanzania
Notes:	This species is very similar to Disa engleriana and was long confused with it. It can be distinguished by its denser inflorescence and shorter petals (less than 8 mm long). The two species are found in quite different habit and altitude ranges.
Derivation of specific name:	ukingensis: of Ukinga, region in Southern Tanzania.
Habitat:	Drier montane grassland.
Altitude range:	2100 - 2300 m
Flowering time:	Feb - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Only known from the southern Hihlands in Tanzania and the Nyika Plateau in Malawi and Zambia.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	E
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Mc
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:	Vulnerable
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Monday 25 March 2019
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 224 - 225. (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 322. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Pages 169 - 170. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 115. (Includes a picture). Linder, H.P. (1981). Taxonomic studies in the Disinae (Orchidaceae): IV A revision of Disa Berg. sect. Micranthae Lindl. Bulletin du Jardin Botanique National de Belgique 51(3/4) Pages 324 - 325. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 119.

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Flora of Malawi: Disa ukingensis

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