Eulophia ramosa Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 21: 470 (1885).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Graphorkis ramosa (Ridl.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 662 (1891).
Lissochilus ramosus (Ridl.) H.Perrier, in Fl. Madag. 49(2): 44 (1941).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Eulophia leucorhiza Schltr., Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, III, 1: 172 (1913).
Eulophia pseudoramosa Schltr., Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, III, 1: 175 (1913).
Description:
Plants 50-80 cm tall; pseudobulbs confluent, semi hypogenous, narrowly cylindrical and cauliform. not more than 6 cm tall and covered by the more or less decomposed sheaths, the new bulb developing prior to flowering. Leaves developing long before flowering, graminiform, very narrow (not more than 6 mm wide), striate-veined with the articulation, obsolete and persisting sometimes after drying up of the most recent pseudobulbs in the series. Panicle very loose and many flowered; peduncle more or less long, thin, upright and with 4-5 short, distant sheaths; bracts very small and deltoid; pedicel 15-17 mm long, very thin, flowers 1 cm long, yellowish and striated with reddish. Sepals 8-10 mm long, oblanceolate-obtuse. Petals similar but slightly shorter (7-8 mm). Labellum oblong (6.5-9 x 4.5-6 mm), trilobed in the apical third, lateral lobes small and obtuse, the median larger, crisped-undulate apically; provided basally with 5 verrucose keels, spur sub cylindrical, slightly recurved, 4 mm long. Column 5 mm bong. Anther bigibbus behind.
Habitat:
Terrestrial; in very dry open places, from 0-1000 m altitude, on the eastern coast.
Phenology:
Flowering in dry places in July-November; flowering in wetter places in December-April.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, hot to warm growing terrestrial or lithophyte.
Distribution:
Madagascar
References:
Flora of Madagascar: vascular plants: 49th family, Orchids / by H. Perrier de La Bathie; published under the auspices of the government of Madagascar and under the direction of H. Humbert; English revision and translation by Steven D. Beckman; Orchids of Madagascar Herms, Cribb, Du Puy and Bosser 2007; A Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Hermans and Cribb 2009; Notes taxonomiques sur des Orchidacées d'Afrique centrale. VII D. Geerinck, Bulletin du Jardin botanique national de Belgique / Bulletin van de National Plantentuin van België, Vol. 50, No. 1/2 (Jun. 30, 1980), pp. 117-122 ; POWO (2022). "Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ Retrieved 26 November 2022."
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