Two New Orchids from the Flora Zambesiaca Area

Abstract

A slender terrestrial saprophytic herb 18 25 cm tall, arising from a horizontal or ascending cigar-shaped underground rhizome bearing numerous papery sheathing bracts; roots absent. Leaves lacking. Inflorescence erect, laxly up to 10-flowered; peduncle lacking chlorophyll, with many colourless, loose, broad, sheathing sterile bracts, up to 10 x 8 mm, along length especially in the basal part. Flowers not opening widely, the sepals and petals dull brownish-cream with brown veins, the lip dull cream-coloured with tiny reddish-brown veins; pedicel 5 mm long, the ovary 4 5 mm long but enlarging rapidly after anthesis. Dorsal sepal erect, oblanceolate, acute, 13 15 x 2 2.5 mm. Lateral sepals suberect, similar but slightly shorter and oblique at the base. Petals suberect, clawed, oblanceolate, acute, 9 12 x 1.2 1.5 mm. Lip 3-lobed at the base, deeply concave, c. 7.5 x 3 mm; side lobes small, toothlike; midlobe narrowly elliptic, acute; callus basal, fleshy, bilobed; spur cylindricaltapering, 5 mm long, lying parallel to and adpressed to the lip. Column 4 mm long; pollinia 2, porate, attached by a linear stipe to an oblong gland. Fig. 1.