Calanthe tetragona (Thouars) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit., Phytotaxa 472: 165 (2020).
Homotypic Names:
Epidendrum tetragonum Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: t. 33-34 (1822).
Broughtonia tetragona (Thouars) Spreng., Syst. Veg. ed. 16, 3: 734 (1826).
Limodorum tetragonum (Thouars) A.Rich., Mém. Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris 4: 41 (1828).
Pesomeria tetragona (Thouars) Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. 24(Misc.): 5 (1838).
Phaius tetragonus (Thouars) Rchb.f., Bonplandia (Hannover) 3: 221 (1855).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Cyanorkis cyanorchis Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: t. 33-34 (1822).
Description:
Stem a foot or more high, erect, stout, jointed, sharply 4-angled, clothed below with several green scales. Leaves springing from the joints, broadly ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, narrowed towards the base, plicate, about 1 foot long and from 2 in. broad. Raceme axillary, stout, as long as the leaves; peduncles short, ultimately becoming decurved and carrying up the longer sheathing bracts; flowers about 8 or 10 in a lax spike, 2 in. diam., red and yellow. Sepals spathulate-oblong, acute, 1 in. long, 1/4 in. broad. Petals a little longer and narrower. Labellum adnate to the lower half of the column, gibbous at base, with three central longitudinal raised lines within, obscurely 3-lobed ; mid-lobe acuminate, reflexed. Column winged, dentate at the top, puberulous.
Habitat:
No data
Distribution:
Seychelles to Mascarenes
References:
Historie Particulier des Plantes Orchidees Recueilles Sur Trois Iles Australes d'Afrique Thouars 1822; Bonplandia 3: 221. 1855; Expansion of Calanthe to include the species of Cephalantheropsis, Gastrorchis and Phaius (Collabieae; Orchidaceae), Vol. 472 No. 2: 23 November 2020 Phytotaxa; Bernet, P. (2010). Orchidées de la Réunion: 1-368. Naturae Amici éditions; Sone, J. & Cribb, P. (2017). Lady Tankerville's Legacy: 1-278. Natural history publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.; POWO (2022). "Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ Retrieved 19 November 2022."
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.

Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph© Rogier van Vugt. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph P. Bernet ©Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.	Photograph P. Bernet ©Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.	Photograph P. Bernet ©Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.	Photograph P. Bernet ©Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.	Photograph P. Bernet ©Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.	Photograph P. Bernet ©Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.