Disperis bifida P.J.Cribb

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

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:	very local
Status:	Native
Description:	Terrestrial herb 15–30 cm tall. Leaves 2, opposite, ovate, 2.5–4.5 cm long, cordate at the base, dark green. Inflorescence 1–4-flowered; flowers bright rose-pink with 2 rows of carmine spots inside the hood, spur and underside of lateral sepals paler. Dorsal sepal together with the petals forming a hood, extending into a slender spur c. 1 mm in diameter, bifid at the apex, 14–17 mm long from apex of dorsal sepal to tip of spur. Lateral sepals deflexed or projecting, asymmetrically almost circular, 10 mm long, each with a short spur c. 1 mm long about halfway along their length. Petals 8–10 × 5 mm, lobed and irregularly notched on the front margin. Lip linear, c. 11 mm long, extending into the hood but recurved before the apex; appendage 3-lobed, the mid-lobe short and entire, the side lobes irregularly edged.
Type location:	Zambia
Notes:	Oddly this species was long known only from one small location on the Zambian side of the Nyika Plateau. The specimen in the images represents the first record from the Malawi side. At the Zambian location intermediates between this species and the more common and widespread Disperis dicerochila have been found, suggesting these two species likely hybridize.
Derivation of specific name:	bifida: bifid, in two parts or notched, referring to the apex of the spur.
Habitat:	In leaf litter on deeply shaded forest floors.
Altitude range:	2180 m (approx)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Only known from 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:	Critically Endangered
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 16 March 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 322. Cribb, P.J. & Stewart, J. (1985). Additions to the Orchid Flora of Tropical Africa Kew Bulletin 40(2) Pages 403 - 404. Protologue (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Pages 236 - 237. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 155. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 119. Willis, C.K., Burrows, J.E., Fish, L., Phiri, P.S.M., Chikuni, A.C. & Golding, J. (2001). Developing a greater understanding of the flora of the Nyika Syst. Geogr. Pl. 71(2) Page 999.

Other sources of information about Disperis bifida:

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Flora of Malawi: Disperis bifida

External websites:

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