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Disperis kilimanjarica Rendle in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 30: 400, t. 32/8–10 (1895).
Description:
Glabrous herb, 7-5-12 cm. tall, arising from an ovoid tuber, 1-1-5 cm. long, 8 mm. wide, sending out filiform tuber-bearing underground shoots. Leaves 2, alternate, sessile, sheathing at the base, ovate, I-2-3-1 cm. long, 0-7-2-1 cm. wide, acute, cordate above the sheath. Flowers solitary, white tinged green, margined with lilac along the edge of the spur, or pinkish, or distinctly green and dull mauve; bract leaf-like, 0-8-1-5 cm. long, 4-8mm. wide. Intermediate sepal hooded, joined to the petals to form a short spur 0-8-1-6 cm. long, broad towards its mouth, abruptly narrowed towards the apex; lateral sepals obliquely ovate, 0-6-1-2 cm. long, 4-5 mm. wide, apiculate, free, bearing sacs 2-2-5 mm. long. Petals irregularly oblong, 8 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, curved on united margin, irregular on free margin, shortly clawed at the base. Lip 6 mm. long, with linear claw expanded above into a narrowly triangular blade with a reflexed tip, which bears (at the point of reflection) a thick narrowly oblong appendage directed to the apex of the spur, 3 mm. long, papillate at the extreme tip.
Habitat:
In dense shade of evergreen forest mostly on branches covered with mosses and liverworts or in leaf-litter, sometimes epiphytic on trees up to 6 m. above the ground; 2100-2700 m.
Phenology:
Flowering from February to June (to October in East Africa).
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
Kenya to Zambia
References:
A synopsis of the genus Disperis Sw. (Orchidaceae), ADANSONIA, sér. 3 - 2005 - 27 (2) : 155-207; Flora of Tropical Africa, Vol 7, page 12, (1898) Author: (By R. A. Rolfe.); A Key to the East African Species of Disperis (Orchidaceae) with Two New Species B. Verdcourt, Kew Bulletin, Vol. 41, No. 1 (1986), pp. 51-57
Images:
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Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph© David Schellenberger Costa. Image used with kind permission from African plants – A Photo Guide. www.africanplants. senckenberg.de	Photograph© David Schellenberger Costa. Image used with kind permission from African plants – A Photo Guide. www.africanplants. senckenberg.de	Photograph© David Schellenberger Costa. Image used with kind permission from African plants – A Photo Guide. www.africanplants. senckenberg.de