Entry for Disperis macowanii Bolus [family ORCHIDACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 11, Part 1, (1995) Author: I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb
Names
Disperis macowaniiBolus [family ORCHIDACEAE], in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 22: 77 (1885). —Verdcourt in Kew Bull. 30, 4: 603 (1976). —Stewart et al., Wild Orch. South. Africa: 198 (1982). —la Croix et al., Orch. Malawi: 158 (1991). Type from South Africa.
Information
Small terrestrial herb 7–15 cm tall, the stem sparsely hairy.Leaves 2, alternate, 14–16 × 6–10 mm, ovate, cordate.Inflorescence 1–2-flowered.Flowers white to cream with green and purple spotting on the petals.Ovary 8–10 mm long, bright green; bracts leaf-like, of similar length.Dorsal sepal joined to petals to form blunt, conical hood 5–6 mm high.Lateral sepals free, projecting forwards or deflexed, 4–5 × 2 mm, obliquely ovate, acute; spur 1.5–2 mm long, conical, pointing forwards and almost reaching end of the sepal.Petals 6 mm long, ± falcate, obscurely lobed towards base on outer margin.Lip with claw 2.5 mm long widening into an elliptic dilation 1 mm wide before narrowing into an apical part 1 mm long; appendage 5–5.5 × 1 mm, linear, slightly curved, obtusely folded longitudinally, minutely crenulate on margins, the apex papillate and slightly 2-lobed with a tooth on each side and thus appearing 4-lobed.
Habitat
Montane grassland, amongst rocks and under shrubs
Altitude range
c. 2000 m.
2000
2000
Distribution
Malawi N Nyika National Park, road to Chikomanankazi, 2225 m, fl. 5.iii.1982, Dowsett-Lemaire 350 (K).
