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Dracomonticola virginea (Bolus) H.P.Linder & Kurzweil, Willdenowia 25: 230 (1995).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Platanthera virginea Bolus, Icon. Orchid. Austro-Afric. 1: t. 60 (1896).
Gymnadenia virginea (Bolus) Kraenzl., Orchid. Gen. Sp. 1: 562 (1898).
Brachycorythis virginea (Bolus) Rolfe in W.H.Harvey & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Cap. 5(3): 87 (1912).
Neobolusia virginea (Bolus) Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53: 481 (1915).
Description:
A delicate glabrous herb, a span or more in height ; stem erect or decumbent, very slender, 2-leaved; lower leaf radical spreading ovate acute frequently undulate, 2,5-3,5 cm. long, the upper remote linear acuminate much shorter: raceme laxly 3-6-11., bracts lanceolate, about as long as the ovary; flowers suberect, about 1 cm. long; sepals spreading, the lateral oblong acute, the odd one a little wider; petals ovate, obliquely narrowed to the base, incurved, about half as long as the sepals; lip spreading, clawed at base, the claw concave gibbous adnate to the column, limb ovate acute entire, or sometimes with a small tooth on each side just beyond the middle, shorter than the sepals, about 4-5 mm, long; anther broadly ovate, pollinia spheroidal, with separated naked glands ; stigma rather large, horse-shoe-shaped, depressed, margined except at the top by the claw of the lip ; ovary cylindrical. Colour of the sepals pure white, petals pink, lip white with pink edges and a central green nerve; the cavity of the claw green, the outer and under surface of the gibbous base marked by two round green spots.
Habitat:
In grassy ledges and in rock crevasses in full sun at elevations of 1500 to 3100 meters.
Phenology:
Flowering from October to January.
Notes:
Colour of the sepals pure white, petals pink, lip white with pink edges and a central green nerve; the cavity of the claw green, the outer and under surface of the gibbous base marked by two round green spots.
Distribution:
S. Africa (Drakensberg)
References:
Orchids of Southern Africa by H. P. Linder; H. Kurzweil Published by A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam (1999); Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Linder, Schelpe & Hall 1982
Images:
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Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.