Polystachya fallax Kraenzel 1926 SECTION Cultriformis [Thouars] Sprengel

Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, Plant grown by Marni Turkel.

to

Common Name The Decieving Polystachya

Flower Size 1/2" [1.25 cm]

This is a small sized, cool to warm growing, epiphytic species that is found in Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire in rainforests at elevations of 1350 to 1600 meters with conical-fusiform pseudobulbs carrying a single, apical, erect, ligualte-lanceolate, rounded apically, deciduous leaf and blooms on an erect, 2 " [5 cm] long, shorter than the leaf, few [7] flowered inflorescence with fragrant flowers subtended by a scarious sheath occuring in the summer.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 2 Cribb 1984; African Orchids in The Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1997

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------