Habenaria phylacocheira Summerh. 1932 SECTION Ceratopetalae Kranzl.

Common Name or Meaning The Hand Guard Habenaria [refers to the petals being similar in shape to the hilt of a sword]

Flower Size

Found in Nigeria at elevations of 800 to 1380 meters as a medium sized, warm to cool growing terrestrial with an erect stem carrying two lowest leaves are reduced to the sheaths, the upper 6 to 7 are lanceolate, acute, sheathing at the base, gradually decreasing upwards leaves that descend into bracts that blooms in the summer on an erect, terminal, 3.2" [8 cm] long, few flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, acute or acuminate, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying large, erect, partly green, partly white, glabrous flowers

"It is difficult to say from inspection whether this remarkable species bears in addition radical leaves or not, although the cauline ones certainly seem inadequate. Probably the nearest relative of the species is H. Holubii in which, however, the petal segments are totally different, while the flowers are considerably larger. The almost complete suppression of the anterior petal-lobe, which in sect. Ceratopetalum is usually so long and fleshy, is a striking feature of H. phylacocheira. The name, which is derived from Greek, means a guard and a hand, is given in allusion to the position of the peculiarly shaped petals on each side of the anther." Summerhayes 1932

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

* Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1932: 190 Summerhayes 1932

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