Tridactyle phaeocephala Summerh., Kew Bull. 3: 292 (1948).
Description:
Plant with erect or pendent stems 9-30 cm long, and smooth roots. Leaves suberect or spreading, linear, unequally bilobed at the apex, with rounded or obtuse lobes, glossy, bright green, 3—8(—14) cm long, 4-5 mm wide. Inflorescences 1-4 cm long, 3- to 7-flowered. Flowers pale green with brown anther cap; dorsal sepal oblong-elliptic, acute or obtuse, 4.8-6 mm long, 2-2.4 mm wide; lateral sepals obliquely ovate, acute or obtuse, 5 mm long, 2.4-3 mm wide; petals oblong or lanceolate, acuminate, 4.5-5.7 mm long, 1.7-1.8 mm wide; lip auriculate at the base, 3-lobed in the middle, side lobes spreading, linear, 2- to 6-lacerate at the apex, mid-lobe slightly shorter than side lobes, linear-tapering, in total 3.6-5.8 mm long, 7 mm wide; spur straight, inflated at the apex, 8-9 mm long.
Habitat:
Epiphyte in montane and dwarf montane forest; 2200-2400 m; flowering in January and March.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Notes:
This species seems close to Tridactyle stipulata but is distinguished by its narrower leaves, differently coloured flowers, and fimbriate side lobes of the lip.
Distribution:
E. Tanzania
References:
World Checklist of Monocotyledons. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.kew.org/wcsp/monocots/ accessed 21.03.2017
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
