Eulophia livingstoneana (Rchb.f.) Summerh., Kew Bull. 2: 132 (1947 publ. 1948).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Lissochilus livingstoneanus Rchb.f., Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 114 (1881).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Lissochilus fallax Rchb.f., Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 115 (1881).
Lissochilus malangensis Rchb.f., Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 114 (1881).
Lissochilus rutenbergianus Kraenzl., Abh. Naturwiss. Vereine Bremen 7: 257 (1882).
Lissochilus affinis Rendle, J. Bot. 33: 193 (1895).
Lissochilus cornigerus Rendle, J. Bot. 33: 194 (1895).
Lissochilus gracilior Rendle, J. Bot. 33: 169 (1895).
Lissochilus gracilior var. angusta Rendle, J. Bot. 33: 169 (1895).
Lissochilus mediocris Rendle, J. Bot. 33: 193 (1895).
Eulophia robusta Rolfe, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1910: 369 (1910).
Eulophia jumelleana Schltr., Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, III, 1: 172 (1913).
Eulophia robusta Schltr., Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, III, 1: 172 (1913), nom. nud.
Lissochilus jumelleanus (Schltr.) Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 33(2): 421 (1915).
Lissochilus laggiarae Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 15: 332 (1918).
Eulophia faradjensis De Wild., Bull. Jard. Bot. État 6: 83 (1919).
Lissochilus faradjensis De Wild., Bull. Jard. Bot. État 6: 83 (1919).
Eulophia gracilior (Rendle) Butzin, Willdenowia 7: 588 (1975).
Description:
Terrestrial herb 50–100 cm tall. Perennating organs subterranean, tuberous, irregularly cylindrical, horizontal, forming chains and branching occasionally, 5–9.5 × 1.1–2.5 cm; rhizome short, up to 1 cm in diameter; roots scattered along tuber, 1.5 mm in diameter, white. Leaves 3–6, 10–40 cm × 5–17 mm, linear, acute, lowest 1–2 sheathing, not present or just starting to develop at flowering time. Inflorescence laxly few- to many-flowered; scape 37–75 cm long, with 2–3 sheaths in lower half, rhachis 10–26 cm long. Pedicel and ovary 20–30 mm long, very slender; bracts spreading, lowest 17–19 mm long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate. Sepals and petals pale to deep mauve-pink; lip purple with darker callus ridges and green or yellowish side-lobes flushed and edged with pink. Dorsal sepal reflexed, 11.5–20 × 4–8 mm, lanceolate or oblanceolate, acute or obtuse, sometimes twisted; lateral sepals similar but slightly wider. Petals erect, 14–20 × 8–13 mm, elliptic-obovate, obtuse. Lip 3-lobed, 10–18.5 mm long; side-lobes erect, rounded; mid-lobe 7–12 × 6–11 mm, reduplicate, upcurved towards apex, elliptic, obtuse; callus of 5 low ridges to apex of mid-lobe; spur 3–7 mm long, narrowly conical, obtuse, slightly upcurved at apex. Column clavate, 7–9 mm long, purple or pink. Fruit pendent, 18–20 mm long.
Habitat:
Plateau and escarpment miombo, often on sandy soils and Kalahari Sand, also in wooded grassland and other grasslands, and at higher altitudes in Protea scrub slopes 0–2200 m.
Notes:
This species is very variable in stature and flower size, but the variation appears to be continuous.Large and small flowers can occur in all areas, but only small-flowered forms seem to occur in the Solwezi area of Zambia.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
Ethiopia to S. Africa, Comoros, Madagascar
References:
Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae (Part 3); La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11, Part 2, (1998) Author: I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb
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© Warren McCleland. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Warren McCleland. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Warren McCleland. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier. Image used with kind permission.