Graphorkis lurida (Sw.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 662 (1891).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Limodorum luridum Sw., Neues J. Bot. 1: 87 (1805).
Eulophia lurida (Sw.) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 182 (1833).
Angraecum luridum (Sw.) Lindl. ex Steud., Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2, 1: 98 (1840).
Eulophiopsis lurida (Sw.) Schltr., Orchideen: 348 (1914).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Eulophia longicollis Lindl., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 6: 132 (1862).
Eulophia virilis Lindl., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 6: 132 (1862).
Description:
Epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs 3–9 × 1–3 cm, conical-ovoid or cylindrical-fusiform, ribbed, 3–5-noded, yellow, set close together on a woody rhizome; roots c. 2 mm in diameter, clinging to the substrate.Leaves 20–40 cm long, including the petiole, 1.5–4 cm wide, narrowly elliptic, acute or acuminate, plicate, deciduous, articulated to a persistent sheathing base; median and some secondary nerves hard and remaining as spines after the lamina is shed. Inflorescence arising from the base of a pseudobulb when the plant is leafless, erect, paniculate with spreading branches, many-flowered; scape with 3–4 sheaths. Pedicel 8–9 mm long; ovary 3 mm long; bracts 1–3 mm long. Flowers yellowish flushed with purple, particularly on the outer surface; lip with deep yellow mid-lobe. Sepals 5–7 × 1.5–2 mm, oblanceolate, subacute. Petals 4–6 × 2.5–3 mm, elliptic, obtuse. Lip 4–6 × 3–3.5 mm, 3-lobed; side lobes erect, oblong, rounded; mid-lobe c. 2 × 3 mm, bifid or retuse; disk with 2 fleshy keels; spur 4–6 mm long, bent forward, obtuse or bifid at the apex. Column 3 mm long, erect, oblong, with 2 auricles at the base.
Notes:
A second species, Graphorkis scripta Thouars, was supposedly collected in Mozambique by John Forbes (the specimen data lacks date and precise locality).However, since no further specimens of this Madagascan species have been recorded for Mozambique there is a strong possibility that Forbes collected it in Madagascar or the Comoros when he visited these Islands between December 1822 and January 1823.
Habitat:
Riverine forest, often in forks of trees c. 1300 m.
Distribution:
Trop. Africa
References:
Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.W. & Rasmussen, F.N. (eds.) 2014. Genera Orchidacearum Volume 5: Epidendroideae (Part two); page 71 ff., Oxford: Oxford University Press; Govaerts, R. et al. 2016. Graphorkis lurida in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 22.07.2019; Flora of West Tropical Africa, Vol 3, Part 1; La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 547 - 548.
Images:
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In culture  In culture  In culture  In culture  In culture
Graphorkis lurida 01  Graphorkis lurida 02  Graphorkis lurida 03  Graphorkis lurida 04  Graphorkis lurida 05 
Photograph© Nicholas Case
Wightman Image used with kind
permission.
 
Photograph© Nicholas Case
Wightman Image used with kind
permission.
 
Photograph© Nicholas Case
Wightman Image used with kind
permission.
 
Photograph© Nicholas Case
Wightman Image used with kind
permission.
 
Photograph© Nicholas Case
Wightman Image used with kind
permission.
 

Habitat/In situ  Habitat/In situ Habitat/In situ  Habitat/In situ 
graphorkis lurida 01  graphorkis lurida 02  graphorkis lurida 03  graphorkis lurida 04 
Photograph ©Leo
Klemm. Image used
with kind permission. 
Photograph ©Leo
Klemm. Image used
with kind permission. 
Photograph ©Leo
Klemm. Image used
with kind permission. 
Photograph ©Leo
Klemm. Image used
with kind permission.