Brachycorythis rhodostachys (Schltr.) Summerh., Kew Bull. 10: 246 (1955).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Platanthera rhodostachys Schltr. in O.Warburg (ed.), Kunene-Sambesi Exped.: 203 (1903).
Gyaladenia rhodostachys (Schltr.) Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 38(2): 126 (1921).
Description:
A slender terrestrial herb 20–40 cm tall, with villous cylindrical tuberous roots.Stem leafy. Leaves 2.5–5.5 × 0.8–2 cm, ovate, acute, sheathing at the base. Inflorescence densely many-flowered, 3.5–12 × 1.5–2 cm; pedicel 3 mm long; ovary c. 5 mm long; bracts up to 15 × 4 mm, lanceolate, acuminate. Flowers greenish-mauve to pink-mauve with purple marks on lip. Sepals 3–5 × 1.5–3 mm, the dorsal sepal elliptic, convex; lateral sepals oblique, projecting forwards. Petals 2–3.5 × 1–2 mm, oblong, attached to column at the base. Lip 4–5 mm long; epichile 2.7–3.5 mm long, ± obovate, shortly 3-lobed near the apex, the mid-lobe up to 1 mm long; spur 1.5–3 mm long, slightly incurved, shortly 2-lobed at the apex. Column 2–2.5 mm long.
Habitat:
Marshy grassland and dambos 600–2285 m.
Distribution:
Tanzania to Angola
