Brachycorythis tanganyikensis Summerh., Kew Bull. 16: 257 (1962).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Phyllomphax tanganyikensis (Summerh.) Szlach., Richardiana 6: 78 (2006).
Description:
Herba terrestris, 12-26 cm. alta, radicibus exceptis fere omnino glabra; tubera 1-3, ellipsoidea vel cylindrico-ellipsoidea, 1-3 cm. longa, 6-12 mm. diametro, ut radices subdense tomentosa. Caules solitarii vel bini, erecti, saepe leviter flexuosi, per totam longitudinem foliati, teretes, in inflorescentias terminantes. Folia 5-7, inferiora 2-3 ad vaginas redacta, superiora ± patentia, breviter (usque 1-5 cm.) petiolata, late lanceolata vel ellipticolanceolata, acuta, 2-5-9 cm. longa, 1.5-3.5 cm. lata, siccitate chartacea, plurinervia, costa subtus prominula. Inflorescentia 3-7 cm. longa, laxe 2-7-flora; rhachis saepe leviter fractiflexa, gracilis; bracteae foliaceae, lanceolatae, acutae, usque 4 cm. longae et 2 cm. latae, flores superantes vel aequantes. Flores patentes, virides et albi purpureo-notati; pedicellus cum ovario arcuatus, 5-8 mm. longus, angulatus. Sepalum intermedium erectum vel leviter incurvatum, valde convexum, orbiculari-ovatum, obtusum, circiter 4.5 mm. longum et latum (explanatum), trinervium; sepala lateralia reflexa, oblique semi-orbicularia, apice obtusa, circiter 5 mm. longa et 2.5 mm. lata, uninervia. Petala e columna libera, ± patentia, oblique lanceolato-oblonga, obtusa, fere 4 mm. longa et 1-5 mm. lata, uninervia. Labellum deflexim porrectum; epichilium e basi angusta ambitu late obovatum, circiter 6-5 mm. longum et latum, dimidio apicali trilobatum, lobo intermedio triangulari obtuso parvo, lobis lateralibus multo majoribus et longioribus incurvatim triangularibus acutis, basi callis duobus indistinctis instructum; hypochilium calcaratum, incurvatum, apice leviter inflatum bilobulatum, in toto 4-5 mm. longum. Anthera erecta, brevis, obtusa, loculis parallelis elongatis 3 mm. longis, canalibus vix distinctis, auriculis pro rata magnis rugosis fere bilobatis 1-4 mm. longis; pollinia sectilia, caudicula lineari circiter 1.7 mm. longa, viscidio anguste elliptico nudo; rostelli lobus intermedius valde plicatus, cucullatus, plus 1 mm. longus, lobi laterales truncati, lati; fovea stigmatica orbicularis.
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Note:
This species is clearly allied to the West African B. macrantha (Lindl.) Summerh. and to several Indian species. It resembles most clearly B. iantha (Wight) Summerh., from which it differs by the characters given in the diagnosis. It is clearly a forest species as shown by the relatively large and thin textured leaves. The foliage leaves are borne on the upper part of the stem, the lower half being covered by the lower sheathing leaves. The shape of the labellum epichile, with its short tooth-like middle lobe and much larger incurving lateral lobes, is reminiscent of species such as B. pleistophylla Rchb.f. and B. kalbreyerRi chb.f. in which the floral structure otherwise is very different. B. tanganyikensish, owever, resembles the latter species in vegetative characters. A striking feature of the present species is provided by the anther loculi which are each drawn out into a tapering lower part. There are no properly defined canals but the caudicles of the pollinia are longer than in other species of Brachycorythis.
Habitat:
Morogoro Distr., Nguru Mts., near Turiani, NW. slope of Mkobwe, 1250 m. alt., in field layer of upland rainforest,
Distribution:
Tanzania (Nguru Mts.)