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Cheirostylis nuda (Thouars) Ormerod, Lindleyana 17: 193 (2002).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Goodyera nuda Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: t. 29 (1822).
Gymnochilus nudum (Thouars) Blume, Coll. Orchid.: 107 (1859).
Orchiodes nudum (Thouars) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 675 (1891).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Erporkis gymnerpis Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: t. 29, 30B (1822).
Gymnochilus recurvus Blume, Coll. Orchid.: 109 (1859).
Monochilus boryi Rchb.f., Linnaea 41: 60 (1876).
Cheirostylis gymnochiloides (Ridl.) Rchb.f., Flora 68: 537 (1885).
Cheirostylis humblotii Rchb.f., Flora 68: 537 (1885).
Monochilus gymnochiloides Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 21: 490 (1885).
Cheirostylis sarcopus Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53: 558 (1915).
Zeuxine boryi (Rchb.f.) Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 33(2): 410 (1915).
Zeuxine gymnochiloides (Ridl.) Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 34(2): 320 (1916).
Cheirostylis micrantha Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 127 (1924).
Zeuxine sambiranoensis Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 129 (1924).
Description:
Terrestrial herb with a creeping fleshy rhizome; roots c. 3 mm in diameter, villous. Leaves several, crowded near base of the stem, petiolate with a broad sheathing base; petiole c. 2 cm long, blade 4–6 × 2–2.5 cm, slightly obliquely ovate. Flowering stem to c. 35 cm high, usually sparsely hairy but sometimes glabrous, with 5–6 sheaths to 15 mm long. Inflorescence 2–6 × 1.5–2 cm, fairly densely many-flowered; ovary and bracts usually sparsely glandular-hairy but sometimes glabrous; bracts membranous, to 6 mm long. Sepals buff to old-rose coloured; petals and lip hyaline-white. Sepals 3–3.5 × 1.5 mm long, oblong, obtuse, joined in basal half. Petals 2.5–3 × 1.5 mm, oblong, obtuse. Lip 2.5–3 mm long, concave at base, usually with variously lobed calli, constricted at about two thirds of its length, the apical third transversely oblong, 1.5–2 mm wide. Glabrous plants do not have the basal outgrowths on the lip. Column 1.7 mm long with 2 clavate rostellar arms at apex. Ovary 6–7 mm long, starting to swell as soon as flowers open.
Habitat:
Deep shade in leaf mould in riverine forest . Altitude range 300–760 m.
Notes:
Glandular-hairy plants with basal calli on the lip and glabrous plants without calli (Ball 818) apparently grow in the same area but in separate
colonies. Apart from the above characters the two forms seem identical.
Distribution:
Tanzania to S. Africa, W. Indian Ocean
References:
La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1); Linder, H.P. & Kurzweil, H. (1999). Orchids of Southern Africa A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Images:
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Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.