Eulophia acutilabra Summerh., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1927: 416 (1927).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Eulophia delicata P.J.Cribb, Kew Bull. 32: 169 (1977).
Eulophia saintenoyana Geerinck, Bull. Jard. Bot. Natl. Belg. 60: 186 (1990).
Description:
Slender terrestrial herb 15–46 cm tall. Perennating organs subterranean, tuberous, elongate, c. 4 × 1.5 cm. Leaves 3–5, the lowest 2 reduced to sheaths, up to 8 cm × 3 mm, narrowly linear, scarcely developed at flowering time. Inflorescence laxly 3–15-flowered; scape with a few scattered sheaths. Pedicel and ovary 8–10 mm long, the ovary developing on the lowest flowers while the upper ones are still in bud; bracts 5–7 mm long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate. Sepals greenish-purple; petals lilac or pale pink with darker veins, lip side lobes green with purple veins, mid-lobe pale lilac with purple veins and white papillae; spur green. Sepals semi-erect, recurved at the tips,10–20 × 1–2 mm, narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, acute or acuminate. Petals 8–16 × 1.5–3 mm, oblong-linear, acuminate, lying over the column. Lip 9–16 × 5–7 mm, 3-lobed, with 3 lacerate crests running from the base to below the apex, and with some papillae on the mid-lobe; side lobes short, obtuse or rounded; mid-lobe 4.5–9 × 3–4 mm, oblanceolate or obovate, acute, the edge crenulate; spur 3–6 mm long, slender, cylindrical, obtuse, straight or slightly recurved. Column 3–4 mm long with a short foot.
Habitat:
Miombo and mixed deciduous woodland, often in rocky soil 480–1650 m.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
S. Zaïre to S. Trop. Africa
References:
Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11, Part 2, (1998) Author: I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb; African Orchids, I V. S. Summerhayes, Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), Vol. 1927, No. 10 (1927), pp. 415-419; The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2019. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph© Warren McCleland.Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Warren McCleland. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Warren McCleland. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Warren McCleland. Image used with kind permission.