Home

Disperis trilineata Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 112 (1924).
Description:
Slender terrestrial herb 5-15 cm high. Tubers 2, oblong, villous. Leaves 2, at about the middle of the stem, opposite or subopposite, 1.5-4 × 0.8- 1.8 cm, ovate, acute, with 3 pale longitudinal veins. Inflorescence 1-3-flowered; bracts 4 × 5 mm, broadly ovate. Flowers dull pink or violet, rather small; pedicel and ovary c. 11 mm long. Dorsal sepal 3-4 mm long, linear; lateral sepals 3-4 mm long, free more or less to the base, obliquely elliptic, each with a conical short spur around the middle. Petals 3-4 mm long, elliptic, with the median vein prominent on the outer surface, adnate to the dorsal sepal to form an open hood. Lip 4 mm long, fused to the column at base then with an obcuneiform claw bearing at the top a 5-lobed appendage, the side lobes short and farinose-tomentose, the mid-lobe larger, lanceolate and glabrous. Rostellum suborbicular, completely covering the anther.
Habitat:
In humus in moist forest; c. 400 m.
Phenology:
Flowering from January to March.
Notes:
This is a small delicate species of dark and humid forests at low elevation, found once in Madagascar and once on Anjouan in the Comores. The leaf is dull green on the upper side with three main rose-pink veins, the lower surface is red-purple.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, hot growing terrestrial.
Distribution:
Comoros, N. Madagascar
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 Hermans & Cribb 2009; A synopsis of the genus Disperis Sw. (Orchidaceae), ADANSONIA, sér. 3 - 2005 - 27 (2) :155-207
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.

Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
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.