Stenoglottis fimbriata Lindl., Companion Bot. Mag. 2: 210 (1837).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Stenoglottis fimbriata var. saxicola Kraenzl., Orchid. Gen. Sp. 1: 567 (1898).
Stenoglottis fimbriata subsp. saxicola (Kraenzl.) G.McDonald, Orchids S. Africa 39(2): 11 (2008).
Description:
A rather short terrestrial, lithophyte, or epiphyte that grows as a loose basal rosette. The subterranean roots are clustered, spindle-shaped, and thickly fleshy
Pseudobulb/stem:
Short. The crown of the plant is at or slightly below the surface.
Leaves:
1-6 in. (2.5-15.0 cm) long by 0.2-0.6 in. (0.5-1.5 cm) wide. Usually 3-10 dark green, oblong-lanceolate leaves, often with wavy margins and marked with irregular flecks of dark purple-brown over most of their surface, are arranged in a loose rosette, As many as 20 per growth have been reported, however, and some clones may be only sparsely marked with the purple-brown flecks or spots. The leaves taper to sharply pointed tips, are channeled along the midvein on the upper surface, have a central keel on the lower surface, taper to a narrow base where they become increasingly folded longitudinally toward the V- or U-shaped base, and are held in obliquely ascending to arching positions.
Inflorescence:
4-16 in. (10-40 cm) long, including the peduncle which accounts for about half the total length. There are numerous sharply pointed bracts that are spaced well apart along the peduncle. The erect to slightly sinuous inflorescence is produced from the center of the basal rosette of leaves. Flowers are carried in a raceme where they are loosely arranged in 2 rows, each blossom with a sharply pointed floral bract that is similar to those on the peduncle, but these become progressively smaller toward the apex of the raceme. Flowers are carried on a slender pedicellate ovary that is much longer than the floral bract and is held at somewhat ascending to horizontally spreading position in respect to the rachis.
Flowers:
10-25 per raceme, but opening gradually over a long period of time with those at the base of the raceme opening first. The flowers are rosy mauve, with the lip spotted with purple. Occasionally, the sepals and petals may also be marked with purple spots. The narrowly egg-shaped, sharply pointed sepals are 0.1-0.3 in. (0.3-0.8 cm) long by 0.08-0.2 in. (0.2-0.5 cm) wide. The dorsal sepal is held more or less erect, but is reflexed toward the apex, while the widely divergent lateral sepals are held in spreading to somewhat obliquely forward-pointing positions. The egg-shaped to oblong petals are 0.1-0.2 in. (0.3-0.6 cm) long by 0.08-0.2 in. (0.2-0.4 cm) wide, are often fringed on the apical edge, and are held in forward-pointing positions on each side of the column. The lip has a rectangular base, but near the middle it splits with narrowly triangular, sharply pointed lateral lobe diverging obliquely on each side, while the somewhat longer but narrower, sharply pointed, triangular midlobe projects forward from the base. All 3 lobes are usually fringed, are held in approximately the same plane, and may curl slightly at their sharply pointed tips.
Cultivation;
Read more of cultivation of Stenoglottis fimbriata Lindl.
Habitat:
It grows as a terrestrial in humus, on mossy rocks, or low down on tree trunks or o fallen logs in shady forest from near the coast to elevations up to 7200 ft. (2200 m). Visitors to the habitat report that Stenoglottis species usually grow fairly shady and lithophytically close to streams and waterfalls in South Africa. The roots spread over and cling to rocks and are always covered by a layer of moss, which does dry out for short periods during our winter (even dry summers), but most of the time there is enough humidity in these areas to temporarily re-hydrate the moss covering, keeping the dormant crown and roots sufficiently turgid. The habitat during summer is always cool/intermediate, wet and damp. Winter can be classified as cool to cold and significantly drier than summer.
Distribution:
S. Africa
References:
Hamilton, R. 1988. When does it flower? 2nd ed. Robert M. Hamilton, 9211 Beckwith Road, Richmond, B. C., Canada V6X 1V7. Hawkes, A. (1965) 1987. Encyclopaedia of cultivated orchids. Faber and Faber, London. Kew Data Base. 2008. http.//apps.kew.org/wcsp/home.do la Croix, I. and E. la Croix. 1997. African orchids in the wild and in cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, OR. Marais, F. Undated. Comments to an interned orchid group from a South African grower on the cultivation of Stenoglottis species. Stewart, J. and E. F. Hennessy. 1981. Orchids of Africa. Houghton Mifflin, Co., U.S.A. and Canada. Stewart, J., with H. Linder, E. Schlepe, and A. Hall. 1982. Wild Orchids of Southern Africa. Macmillan South Africa, Ltd., Johannesburg; A taxonomic revision of Stenoglottis (Orchideae, Orchidoideae, Orchidaceae),Phytotaxa 456 (3): 219–243, 02 September 2020. By Dean P. Phillips & Benny Bytebier: POWO (2022). "Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ Retrieved 20 November 2022."
Images:
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Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Cameron McMaster. Image used with kind permission.