Mystacidium nguruense P.J.Cribb, in Fl. Trop. E. Afr., Orchid.(3): 596 (1989).
Description:
Plant dwarf with a short leafy stem up to 5 cm long and numerous flexuous roots. Leaves 4-5, linear, falcate, unequally and obtusely bilobed at the apex, twisted at the base, 12-18 cm long, 1.3-2 cm wide. Inflorescences pendent, one to several, 6-9 cm long, 5- to 8-flowered; peduncle and rachis very slender, wiry; bracts ovate, 1.5 mm long; pedicel with ovary slender, 8-10 mm long. Flowers white, stellate but not opening fully; dorsal sepal elliptic, acute, 7 mm long, 3.5 mm wide; lateral sepals obliquely lanceolate, acuminate, 8 mm long, 2 mm wide; petals ovate, acute, 7 mm long, 3.5 mm wide; lip ovate, shortly apiculate, obscurely 3-lobed, side lobes erect, rounded, mid-lobe broadly ovate, a narrow callus running along the midline, 7 mm long, 6 mm wide; spur narrow, tapering from a broad mouth, 20 mm long.
Habitat:
Epiphyte in mossy, montane forest; ca. 2000 m; flowering in February.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
Tanzania (Nguru Mts.)
References:
WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 07.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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