Habenaria insolita Summerh. 1962 SECTION Commelynifoliae Kraenzl
Photos courtesy of © Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz
Drawing by © Mary Grierson
Common Name The Uncommon Habenaria [refers to it's rarity in nature]
Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]
Found in Tanzania and Malawi in long grass at edges of woodlands at elevations of 1700 to 1900 meters as a large sized, cool growing terrestrial with about 10, lower 2 to 3 sheathing, upper 3 bract-like the rest erect, broadly lanceolate, basally clasping leaves that blooms in the early fall on an erect, 4.8 to 7.2" [12 to 18 cm] long, densely many flowered inflorescence with prominent, lanceolate, acute, longer than the flower floral bracts.
"This striking species does not resemble very closely any other species in sect. Commelynifoliae. It may be distinguished by the strongly maculate leaf- sheaths, the narrow dense-flowered raceme, the narrow sepals and especially the curious petals. These are adherent to the dorsal sepal, widest just at or below the middle and irregularly toothed on the outer margins in the upper part. With the intermediate sepal they form a broad but shallow rhombic helm." Summerhayes 1962
Synonyms Trachypetalum insolitum (Summerh.) Szlach. & Sawicka 2003
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
*
Kew Bull. 16: 259 Summerhayes 1962
Flora of Tropical East Africa Part 1 Summerhayes 1968;
Flora Zambesiaca Volume 11 Part one: 71 Pope 1995
Flora Zambesiaca Volume 11 Part one: 72 Pope 1995 drawing fide;
Orchidee (Hamburg) 54: 90 Szlach. & Sawicka 2003 as Trachypetalum insolitum
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