Genus Pachites

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:
Click on each image to see a larger version.

Habitat/In situ

Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.

Pachites bodkinii Bolus, Icon. Orchid. Austro-Afric. 1(1): t. 26 (1892).
Description:
A slender glabrous herb, scarcely a span high; stem erect few-leaved ; radical leaves none, cauline about 5, linear acuminate, with a broad membranous sheathing base, erect, the lowest about 3 cm. long, the upper gradually smaller; raceme short, loosely 5-fl., bracts leaf-like lanceolate, as long as the ovaries; sepals lanceolate acuminate 1 -nerved erect-spreading, 1-3 cm. long; petals acute, margins slightly incurved, prominently 1-nerved beneath, 1 cm. long; lip as long as the petals, erect, 3-lobed, side segments short oblong obtuse, the intermediate lobe lanceolate much longer, furnished at base on the under surface with a cluster of minute yellow tubercles ; cells of the anther curved, approximate at base only, glands of the pollinia capping the arms of the rostellum; rostellum horse-shoe-shaped, with erect arms (appendages); stigma horse-shoe-shaped, cushionlike; ovary cylindrical.
Etymology:
After Professor Alfred A. Bodkin (1847-1930), British born plant collector in South Africa who worked with Harry Bolus and accompanied him on collecting trips. He was Professor of Mathematics at Bishop's, Cape Town from 1881 to 1902.
Habitat:
In moist to marshy sheltered sandy slopes in fynbos at elevations of 300 to 800 meters.
Notes:
Colour of the flower pale purple, suffused with darker purple on the side-lobes of the lip; anther dark- brown; stem, bracts and leaves yellowish.
Phenology:
Flowering from November to December only in first year after fire.
Distribution:
SW. Cape Prov.
References:
Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Linder, Schelpe & Hall 1982; Orchids of Southern Africa Linder & Kurzweil 1999; The phylogenetic position of the enigmatic orchid genusPachites South African Journal of Botany · April 2008
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© Hermanus Botanical Society, Fernkloof. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Hermanus Botanical Society, Fernkloof. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Hermanus Botanical Society, Fernkloof. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Hermanus Botanical Society, Fernkloof. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Hermanus Botanical Society, Fernkloof. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Hermanus Botanical Society, Fernkloof. Image used with kind permission.