Habenaria epipactidea Rchb.f. 1867 SECTION Commelynifoliae Kraenzl. 1892

Flower Closeup Photos courtesy of © Lourens Grobler

Common Name The Epipactis-Like Habenaria

Flower Size 3/4" [2 cm]

Found in the Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Cape Provine and Transvaal South Africa in short grasslands at 1150 to 180 meters as a miniature to medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with suberect, lanceolate, broadly lanceolate to oblong, rounded to acute leaves that are gradually getting smaller ascending, and blooms in the spring on a terminal, bracteate, 2.4 to 6.4" [6 to 16 cm] long, dense, many flowered inflorescence with rather thick, sweetly scented, flowers

Synonyms Bonatea foliosa (Sw.) Lindl 1835; Habenaria foliosa (Sw.) Rchb.f. 1865; Habenaria hircina Rchb.f. 1867; Habenaria perfoliata Kraenzl. 1902; Habenaria polyphylla Kraenzl. 1893; Habenaria rautanenii Kraenzl. 1904; Habenaria schinzii Rolfe 1898; Habenaria trachychila Kraenzl. 1904; Habenella epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach. & Kras-Lap. 2006; Orchis foliosa Sw. 1800; Platantheroides epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach. 2004; Platycoryne rautanenii (Kraenzl.) Szlach. & Olszewski 1998; Platycorynoides epipactidea (Rchb.f.) Szlach. 2005; Platycorynoides hircina (Rchb.f.) Szlach. 2005; Platycorynoides rautanenii (Kraenzl.) Szlach. 2005

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora of Tropical East Africa Part 1 Summerhayes 1968; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Part 1 Pope 1995; Orchids of Kenya Stewart 1996; Field Guide to the Ethiopian Orchids Demissew, Cribb & Rasmussen 2004