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Disperis tripetaloides (Thouars) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 371 (1839).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Dryopeia tripetaloides Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: t. 1-3 (1822).
Dryorkis tridris Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: t. 3 (1822), nom. superfl.
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Disperis afzelii Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 15: 326 (1918).
Description:
Slender terrestrial herb 10-22 cm high; tubers 2, ovoid or oblong, up to 13 mm long. Leaves 2- 3 the lowest inserted in the lower third to half of stem, alternate, sessile, 1.5-3.5(-5) × 0.8-1.7(-2.5) cm, ovate, subacute, cordate and partly enfolding the stem at the base, dark green with 5 pale nerves above, dark violet below. Inflorescence 1-4(-5)-flowered; bracts lanceolate, 0.6-1.8 cm long, shorter than the ovary. Flowers white or rose-coloured, the nerves on the back of the sepals green or brownish; the puberulence of the terminal appendage of the lip yellow. Dorsal sepal 8-9 mm long, linear; lateral sepals 7-10 mm long, c. 5 mm wide, free more or less to base, obliquely elliptic, with a sac-like spur in the middle. Petals more or less semicircular, 6-8 mm long round the curved edge, joined to the dorsal sepal to form an open hood 6.5-8.5 mm high, 3-5 mm broad. Lip joined to the column at the base, the free part 3- 4 mm long, the base triangular–cordate, more or less deeply, covered with short, dense papillae, extended above by a glabrous stalk bearing at its tip a fleshy appendage, 1-1.5 mm long, excavated on the upper surface and bearing the same short papillose puberulence. Rostellar arms curved, 2-3 mm long, rounded-spathulate at the apex.
Habitat:
Grows singly or in small colonies in rich soil and medium shade in the understorey of semi-dry forests or rarely in humid forest; sea level-700 m.
Phenology:
Flowering mostly from November to June.
Notes:
Not with standing its extensive range, only slight variation has been observed between populations of this species, in particular in the morphology of the lip. It approaches Disperis cordata in its habit and leaves which are violet on their underside. It can be distinguished readily by its free lateral sepals and the morphology of the terminal free part of the lip.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, hot growing terrestrial.
Distribution:
Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius, La Réunion and Rodrigues.
References:
The genus Disperis (Orchidaceae) in Madagascar, the Comores, the Mascarenes and the Seychelles, ADANSONIA, sér. 3-2002 -24 (1) : 55-87; Flora Of Madagascar Perrier 1939; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans, Du Puy, Philipp Cribb & Bosser 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; A synopsis of the genus Disperis Sw. (Orchidaceae), ADANSONIA, sér. 3 - 2005 - 27 (2) : 155-207
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.