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Brownleea galpinii Bolus, Icon. Orchid. Austro-Afric. 1: t. 42 (1893).
Description:
A glabrous herb 18-60 cm. high; stem erect terete, the base enclosed in a long acute sheath; leaves 3, cauline remote Iinear lanceolate acute 3-nerved, the lowest 10-13 cm. long, the upper gradually smaller; raceme very short subcapitate ovate or hemispherical, 8-12-fl., 1,8-3 cm. long, bracts leaflike lanceolate, shorter than the ovary; side sepals lanceolate acute, 6 mm, long; odd sepal (with the petals) galeate funnel-shaped, tapering upwards, obtuse, free at the apex and often recurved, as long as the side sepals, produced at base into a filiform spur about half the length of the ovary ; petals somewhat ovate, as long as the mouth of the galea, front margin waved and crisped, a rounded lobe near the base; lower part of the lip a half-ring closely clasping the base of the stigma, lamina free linear erect, about 1 mm, long; arms of the rostellum elongate parallel approximate. Flowers as " white, the petals purple spotted."
A key to the subspecies of Brownleea galpinii
Habitat:
In grasslands, streambanks and seepages at elevations of 1500 to 2250 meters.
Note:
The species is distinct by its petals and its very short raceme.
Distribution:
Zimbabwe to S. Africa
References:
New Orchids: Decade XLVII Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), Vol. 1920, No. 4 (1920), pp. 128-132; The evolution of floral nectaries in Disa (Orchidaceae: Disinae): recapitulation or diversifying innovation? Nina Hobbhahn, Annals of Botany, Vol. 112, No. 7 (November 2013), pp. 1303-1319; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11, Part 1, (1995) Author: I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb
Images:
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Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission.