Satyrium muticum Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 344 (1838).
Description:
Plants rather stout-stemmed, erect (18-) 24-30 (-37) cm high. Leaves 1 -2, closely adpressed to the ground, abruptly different from the sheaths above, the longer lamina broadly ovate to orbicular, 3-9 cm long. Sheaths rather loosely enclosing the stem, leaving little of it or none exposed between them. Inflorescence moderately dense, 3-10 cm long with 3-12 flowers. Perianth mediumsized, pink to pale pink with the petals ivory with purple speckles along the midvein and the labellum with dark pink speckles inside. Scent sweet and pungent. Bracts becoming fully deflexed at anthesis, 2,2-2,7 times as long as the 9-14 mm long winged to deeply ridged ovary. Sepals and petals connate with the labellum in the basal 1/4 then curved downwards, the sepals more so, narrowly oblong, 14-16 mm long; the petals prominently papillose to lacerate, crisped, obtuse. Labellum from the side taller than broad, leaning away from the stem, the aperture obovate, the apical flap broadly oblong, 3-4 mm long, prominent, often partly reflexed. Spurs absent to vestigial, up to 2 mm long. Column base 7 mm long, the upper parts filling most of the galea. Stigma semiorbicular, 2 mm long. Rostellum 1 mm long, shortly keeled, the apex tridentate with a single terminal discoid gland. Anther sacs linked by a broad connective, the staminodes as minute pulvini at the junction with the rostellum.
Notes:
In habit and colour of the flowers this resembles Satyrium erectum, Swartz; in the shape and setting of the flowers Satyrium membranaceum, Swartz; but its peculiar short conical sacs, its single gland, and its almost winged ovary at once distinguish it from these and from any other species.The flowers are rosy with darker carmine tints on the tips of the sepals and petals.
Habitat:
Flowering takes place in the spring months of August and September, rarely as late as November. It extends from relatively dry to moist parts of the Southern Cape coastal forelands, up to about 200 m altitude. Very little is known about its habitat preferences.
Distribution:
The distribution range, based on a very limited number . localities, is about 150 km long.
Images:
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| Botanical Drawing / Herbarium |
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| Photograph copyright Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission. |
