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Cynorkis uncata (Rolfe) Kraenzl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 33: 53 (1902).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Platanthera uncata Rolfe in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 7: 205 (1898).
Description:
Epiphytes, 10-25 cm tall, roots glabrous, numerous. 2-3 swollen in tubers, irregular: leaf solitary, radical, nearly at long as the inflorescence, large (7.5-22 x 2.5-8.3 cm), oval-oblong, acute, obtuse basally. Scape glabrous, bearing toward the apex 1-2 very wide sheaths, short, with a very acuminate limbus in a very fine and recurved point; inflorescence dense, sub glabulous, 7-15 flowered: flowers rose, very large, bearing several glandular hairs on the pedicel and the external surface of the flower; bracts nearly equal to the flower, widely oval-lanceolate, very longly acuminate in a sub filiform and incurved-rolled. Median sepal oval-obtuse (10 x 3.5 mm), concave and 5 veined, laterals arched, apiculate-acute near the apex on the superior margin and 3 veined, slightly wider (10 x 5 mm) than the median. Petals narrow, lanceolate-linear (10 x 1.5 mm), obtuse and 1 veined. Labellum (15 x 13 mm) 4 lobed, the laterals subsquare (6 x 6 mm), 7-8 veined, veins bifurcated and sub keeled apically, the median incurved, narrow, divided nearly to its base in 2 obovate-cuneiform lobes, keeled apically and with 6-7 veins each; spur sub cylindrical, 2.5cm long. Anther large (2.5 is 2.3 mm), shortly apiculate acute, with the connective appendage wide (l mm) and thick; cauda rigid and 6 mm long; viscidiums small and oval; staminodes in wide rounded laminas apically. Rostellum 6 mm long totally; arms thick, 3 mm, median lobe in a thick lamina. upright, papillous, widely semi-elliptical, (3 x 2.2 mm), very obtuse and longer than the arms, Stigmas inclusive, wide (2 mm) near the apex, attenuate to a point basally, joined by their internal margin for their entire length. Pedicel 2.5 cm long, bearing toward the apex several pedicellate glands.
Habitat:
On shady paths and banks in upland rainforests or on humus amongst rocks at elevations of 900 to 1650 meters.
Phenology:
Flowering in February.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, warm to cool growing terrestrial.
Distribution:
Kenya to Tanzania
References:
Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 1 Summerhayes 1968; Orchid of Kenya Stewart & Campbell 1996
Images:
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Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph© E.Tanner @ Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© E.Tanner @ Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.