Eulophia obscura P.J.Cribb 1977 Drawing by © Williamson

Common Name The Obscure Eulophia

Flower Size

Found in Burundi, Zaire, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe in brachystegia woodlands on dry stony hills or on granite outcrops at elevations around 1200 to 1300 meters as a small to medium sized, cool growing terrestrial with subterranean, tubers giving rise to a stem carrying 4 to 5, vestigal, purplish leaves that blooms in the spring on an erect, with several sheathing bracts, laxly 10 to 20 flowered inflorescence with much shorter than the ovary, lanceolate, acute to acuminate floral bracts and carrying drooping, not opening wide flowers with dull purple to brownish purple sepals, greenish to greenish yellow petals, a cream colored lip with purple around the margins and with yellow papillae.

Synonyms Eulophia bouharmontii Geerinck 1990

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of South Central Africa Williamson 1977 as Eulophia sp #25 drawing fide; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 2 Pope 1998

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