Roeperocharis wentzeliana Kraenzl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 30: 283 (1901).
Description:
Terrestrial herb 30–85 cm tall; tubers up to 2 cm long, ellipsoid. Stem leafy; leaves up to 10, the 2 lowermost sheathing, the rest erect, up to 14.5 × 4 cm, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acute, ribbed. Inflorescence 5–17 × 2–3 cm, densely many-flowered. Flowers green. Ovary and pedicel 8–10 mm long; bracts leafy, c. 20 mm long, longer than the flower. Dorsal sepal erect, 6.5–10 × 3.5–5 mm, ovate, acute; lateral sepals spreading or reflexed, 8–10 × 4–5 mm, curved upwards, obliquely lanceolate, acuminate. Petals erect, 7.5–11 × 3–4 mm, fleshy, obliquely oblong, twisted and folded in the middle, the upper part serrated, the apex indistinct. Lip 3-lobed; basal undivided part c. 3 mm long; mid-lobe 9.5–12 × 1–1.5 mm, linear, obtuse; side lobes 1.5–4.5 × 0.5 mm, narrowly linear; spur pendent, 4–7 mm, slightly bifid at apex. Column 2–2.5 mm long; anther connective 3–4 mm wide, papillose; loculi diverging, 2–3 mm long, canals 1.5–2 mm long. Stigmatic arms papillose, 2-lobed from the base; upper lobe 1.5–3.5 mm long; lower lobe 3–3.5 mm long.
Habitat:
Montane grassland, usually in damper areas, montane bog 1700–2440 m.
Distribution:
Tanzania to Zambia
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. |
