Liparis rungweensis Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53: 562 (1915).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Liparis rupicola Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53: 563 (1915).
Description:
Very small terrestrial herb; pseudobulbs subterranean, c. 10 × 8 mm. Leaves 2, erect, arising at ground level, 25–35 × 15–25 mm, ovate to oblong-ligulate, coriaceous. Inflorescence erect, 4–6.5 cm long, c. 10-flowered. Flowers green. Ovary and pedicel 5–7 mm long; bracts of similar length. Dorsal sepal 7 × 2 mm, lanceolate, acute, auricled at the base, the margin rolled back; lateral sepals 4 × 2 mm, falcate curving forwards under the lip. Petals 7 × 1 mm, linear, deflexed, margins revolute. Lip entire, 6 × 4 mm, geniculate, with a fleshy 2-lobed callus at the base; epichile tapering to an acute apex which is reflexed, so that lip appears 2-lobed.Column 5 mm long, curved.
Habitat:
Submontane grassland, in tall grass and scrub c. 2100 m.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
S. Tanzania to E. Zambia
References:
Flora Zambesiaca, Vol 11, Part 1, (1995) Author: I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb; THE ORCHIDS OF MALAŴI Brian Morris, The Society of Malawi Journal, Vol. 35, No. 2 (1982), pp. 7-23; Index to 'African Orchids I: XXX' by V. S. Summerhayes Janet Redpath, Kew Bulletin, Vol. 27, No. 2 (1972), pp. 337-369, La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam
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