Habenaria sochensis Rchb.f. 1881 SECTION Replicatae Kraenzl.
Photo courtesy of © Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz
Drawing BY © Graham Williamson
LATER
Common Name The Soche Hill Habenaria [A Hill in Malawi]
Flower Size .8" [2 cm]
Found in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe in grasslands and woodlands at elevations of 1050 to 1700 meters as a giant sized, cool growing terrestrial with ovoid to ellipsoid, wooly tubers giving rise to an erect leafy stem carrying 11 to 16, the lowest loosely sheath-like, the next few spreading, lanceolate, grading to bract-like leaves that blooms in the later summer on a 16" [40 cm] long, many flowered inflorescence carrying unpleasant smelling flowers.
Synonyms Bilabrella sochensis (Rchb.f.) Szlach. & Kras-Lap. 2003
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Otia Botanica Hamburgensia Rchb.f 1881;
Flora of Tropical Africa 7: 239 Rolfe 1898;
Flora of Tropical East Africa Part 1: 98 Summerhayes 1968;
The Orchids of South Central Africa: 55 fig 23 # 45 Williamson 1977 drawing ok;
Flora Zambesiaca Volume 11 Part one: 105 Pope 1998;
Richardiana 3: 142 Szlach. & Kras-Lap. 2003 as Bilabrella sochensis
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
