Polystachya confusa Rolfe 1897 SECTION Humiles

Inflorescence Photos courtesy of © Lourens Grobler.

Common Name The Confusing Polystachya [refers erroneously to it's affinity to P ottoniana]

Flower Size 3/4" [2.1 cm]

Found in Kenya and Northern Tanzania in montane forests at elevations of 1800 to 3200 meteres as a miniature sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte with ovoid pseudobulbs carrying 2, strap-shaped, ligulate to oblong-ligulate, unequally bilobed apically leaves that blooms in the spring through summer on a terminal, erect, terete, shortly pubescent, 1 to 3" [2.5 to 7.5 cm] long, 2 to 6 flowered inflorescence

Synonyms Polystachya ottoniana var confusa [Rolfe] Kranzl.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 48 No 2 1979 photo; Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 2 Cribb 1984; Orchids of Kenya Stewart 1996; African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1997

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