Habenaria ichneumonea (Sw.) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 313 (1835).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Orchis ichneumonea Sw., Neues J. Bot. 1: 21 (1805).
Bilabrella ichneumonea (Sw.) Szlach. & Kras-Lap., Richardiana 3: 140 (2003).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Habenaria pedicellaris Rchb.f., Otia Bot. Hamburg.: 100 (1881).
Bilabrella pedicellaris (Rchb.f.) Szlach. & Kras, Richardiana 9: 159 (2009).
Description:

Rather slender terrestrial herb 18–85 cm tall. Tubers 1–2.5 cm long, ellipsoid or ovoid.Stem leafy; leaves 5–12, the lowermost usually sheathing, the next few erect or suberect, the largest 7–21 cm long and 4–10 mm wide, narrowly linear. Inflorescence 6–22 × 3–5 cm, laxly or fairly densely few- to many-flowered; bracts 7–18 × 2–3 mm, usually shorter than pedicel and ovary. Flowers suberect, green or green and white. Pedicel and ovary straight or slightly incurved; pedicel 24–30 mm long, ovary 5–6 mm long. Dorsal sepal reflexed, 3–5.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, elliptic; lateral sepals deflexed, 4–8.5 × 3–5 mm, obliquely obovate with a lateral apiculum. Petals 2-lobed almost to base; upper lobe reflexed, 3–4.5 × 0.3–0.4 mm, linear; lower lobe 6.5–13 × 1–1.5 mm, narrowly lanceolate, acute, curving forwards. Lip 3- lobed with an undivided base 1.5–4 mm long; mid-lobe 13–15 mm long; side lobes 13–17 mm long; all lobes linear, c. 0.5 mm wide; spur 10–25 mm long, usually incurved, the apex very swollen. Anther 1.2–2.5 mm high; canals 3.5–6.5 mm long, porrect, the tips upcurved. Stigmatic arms 4–8 mm long, porrect, slender with the apices enlarged and truncate. Rostellum mid-lobe 1.5–2 mm long, triangular.
Habitat:

Boggy grassland, sometimes in shallow, standing water c. 1350–1500 m.
Distribution:

Trop. Africa to N. Botswana

Images:
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Botanical Drawing / Herbarium

Photograph copyright Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz Image used with kind permission.