Habenaria epipactidea Rchb.f. 1867 SECTION Commelynifoliae Kraenzl. 1892
Flower Closeup Photos courtesy of © Lourens Grobler
Plant and Flowers in situ Cape Province South Africa Photos by © Cameron McMasters
Common Name The Epipactis-Like Habenaria
Flower Size 3/4" [2 cm]
Found in the Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Cape Provine and Transvaal South Africa in short grasslands at 900 to 1150 meters as a small to medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with suberect, lanceolate, broadly lanceolate to oblong, rounded to acute leaves that are gradually getting smaller ascending, and blooms in the spring on a terminal, bracteate, 2.4 to 6.4" [6 to 16 cm] long, dense, many flowered inflorescence with rather thick, nocturnally sweetly scented, flowers
The Zulus use the roots of this species and Ansella africana to make a tea that functions as an emetic.
Synonyms Bonatea foliosa (Sw.) Lindl 1835; Habenaria foliosa (Sw.) Rchb.f. 1865; Habenaria hircina Rchb.f. 1867; Habenaria perfoliata Kraenzl. 1902; Habenaria polyphylla Kraenzl. 1893; Habenaria rautanenii Kraenzl. 1904; Habenaria schinzii Rolfe 1898; Habenaria trachychila Kraenzl. 1904; Habenella epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach. & Kras-Lap. 2006; Orchis foliosa Sw. 1800; Platantheroides epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach. 2004; Platycoryne rautanenii (Kraenzl.) Szlach. & Olszewski 1998; Platycorynoides epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach. 2005; Platycorynoides hircina (Rchb.f.) Szlach. 2005; Platycorynoides rautanenii (Kraenzl.) Szlach. 2005
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 4 1959 as H foliosa; AOS Bulletin Vol 47 No 6 1978 as H foliosa; Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Linder, Schelpe & Hall 1982 photo fide; Flora of Tropical East Africa Part 1 Summerhayes 1968; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Part 1 Pope 1995; Orchids of Kenya Stewart 1996; Field Guide to the Ethiopian Orchids Demissew, Cribb & Rasmussen 2004; Field Guide to the Orchids of Northern South Africa and Swaziland McMurty, Grobler, Grobler & Burns 2008;
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