Cheirostylis lepida (Rchb.f.) Rolfe in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 7: 182 (1897).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Monochilus lepidus Rchb.f., Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 110 (1881).
Description:
Rhizome fleshy, horizontal, creeping in the upper part. Stem up to 10-30 cm tall, erect, rather delicate, glandular above the leaves, denser towards the apex. Leaves gathered in the lower part of the stem, 5-6, petiolate; petiole up to 1.5 cm long, shorter than blade, canaliculate, widened towards the base and forming distinct sheath; blade 1-4 cm long, 0.8-2.5 cm wide, usually ovate with rounded to almost cordate base, acuminate, thin, delicate. Above leaves 3-4 sheath-like cauline bracts, lanceolate-ovate, acuminate, amplexicaul, membraneous, delicate, glandular. Inflorescence 2-4 cm long, 4-20-flowered, dense. Flowers small, tubular. Floral bract ca. 5-6 mm long, ovate with lanceolate, acuminate apex, membraneous, semi-transparent, glandular outside in the lower part. Pedicel 1.5 mm long, twisted. Ovary 4-5 mm long, glandular towards the apex. Sepals joined together for half of their length forming a distinct sepaline tube, glandular outside in the lower part. Dorsal sepal 3.5-5.5 mm long, ca. 1.5-2 apical mm free, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, ovate, acute. Petals 3.5-5.5 mm long, 1.3-2 mm wide, linear at the base, ovate-lanceolate above, acuminate, agglutinate to the dorsal sepal. Lateral sepals similar in size, obliquely ovate, acute, sub-cucullate. Lip similar in length to the other perianth segments, sessile; basal part 2-3.5 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, canaliculate, thin, delicate, with two, finger-like appendages in the basal shallow sac; apical part bi-lobed, lobes spreading, lobe 1.2-1.6 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, rhomboid, more or less entire.
Habitat:
In deep shade in leaf mould on the floor of submontane and humid forests.
Phenology:
Flowering from November, December, January, June, August.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, warm growing terrestrial.
Distribution:
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sao Tomé and Principe (Såo Tomé), Equatorial Guinea (Bioko), the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania. Alt. 900-2450 m.
References:
Orchidaceae of West-central Africa, vol. 1, Gdansk University Press Gdansk 2010; Orchids of Kenya Stewart & Campbell 1996; Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 2 Cribb 1984
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
| Habitat/In situ |
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| Photograph© E.Tanner @ Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission. |
