Pachites appressa Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 301 (1835).
Description:
A glabrous erect herb, 20-45 cm high; stem subfiexuous leafy; leaves about 4-5 along tbe stem, ligulate acuminate erect, the lowest about 10 cm. long, the upper gradually smaller passing into bracts ; spike loosely many-fl., 9 cm. long (or, according to Lindley's description and Burchell's specimen, almost a foot long, very dense, cylindrical, the flowers closely appressed"), bracts lanceolate the lower ones about as long as the ovary; sepals broadly ovate subobtuse, 7 mm, long, the side ones spreading, the odd one deflexed; petals erect-spreading oblong narrower and a little shorter than the sepals; lip lanceolate erect, with two parallel coloured stripes; column erect stipitate, shorter than the perianth, furnished behind with two horn-like processes (staminodes ?) as long as the rostellum; rostellum terminal erect thick triangular truncate, wider than the column; cells of the anther placed one on each side of the stigma, parallel distant ascending but scarcely erect; glands affixed to the base of the rostellum, naked, distant; stigma in front rather large, oblong or somewhat horse-shoe-shaped depressed margined; ovary subcylindrical channelled.
Notes:
Colour of the perianth lilac, the lip bearing two longitudinal parallel stripes, the anther a little darker, outer margins of the rostellum red.
Habitat:
Non mountain slopes in fynbos at elevations of 450 to 1000 meters.
Distribution:
SSW. Cape Prov.
References:
Orchids of Southern Africa Linder & Kurzweil 1999; Wild Orchid Of Southern Africa Stewart, Linder, Schlepe & Hall 1982
Images:
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| Habitat/In situ |
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| Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission. |
