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Orthochilus thomsonii
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Photo: Marc Stalmans
Nyika National Park.
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| Synonyms: |
Eulophia thomsonii Rolfe |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | very local |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Terrestrial herb 20–40 cm tall, growing from chain-forming irregularly shaped tubers, 2.5–4 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide. Leaves 1–2, linear, grass-like, 15–32 cm, just starting to develop at flowering time. Inflorescence densely several-many-flowered, in a subspherical head 5–7 cm wide. Bracts linear-lanceolate, 15–25 cm long. Flowers not opening wide, creamy-white, with a deep purple blotch on the mid-lobe of the lip and a yellow or cream papillose patch near the throat. Sepals lanceolate; dorsal sepal 19–25 mm long; lateral sepals 21–30 mm long. Petals elliptic-lanceolate, 18–24 mm long. Lip 3-lobed, 16.5–20 mm long; side lobes erect, narrowly elliptic; mid-lobe elliptic to suborbicular, 10–12 mm long, rounded; spur 1–3 mm long, conical, recurved. Capsule 15–20 mm long, pendent. |
| Type location: |
Tanzania |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | thomsonii: after Joseph Thomson (1858-1895), Scottish explorer, geologist and naturalist for the Royal Geographical Society in East Central Africa. |
| Habitat: | In montane grassland. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1550 - 2250 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Tanzania, northern Malawi and Zambia (Nyika only). |
| National distribution: | E |
| Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Mc |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | Near Endemic |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Saturday 9 November 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 325. As Eulophia thomsonii La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 505 - 507. As Eulophia thomsonii (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 305. As Eulophia thomsonii (Includes a picture). Martos, F., Johnson, S.D., Peter, C.I & Bytebier, B. (2014). A molecular phylogeny reveals paraphyly of the large genus Eulophia (Orchidaceae): A case for the reinstatement of Orthochilus Taxon 63(1) Page 20. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 41 - 42. As Eulophia thomsonii (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 120. As Eulophia thomsonii Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 154 - 155. As Eulophia thomsonii (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Orthochilus thomsonii:
Our websites:
Flora of Malawi: Orthochilus thomsoniiExternal websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Orthochilus thomsoniiBHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Orthochilus thomsonii
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Orthochilus thomsonii
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Orthochilus thomsonii
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Orthochilus thomsonii
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Orthochilus thomsonii
JSTOR Plant Science: Orthochilus thomsonii
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Orthochilus thomsonii
Plants of the World Online: Orthochilus thomsonii
Tropicos: Orthochilus thomsonii
Wikipedia: Orthochilus thomsonii
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