Habenaria helicoplectrum Summerh. 1931 SECTION Diphylla
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LATER
Common Name The Screw Like Spur Habenaria
Flower Size
Found in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in grasslands and scrub in dry areas at elevations of 950 to 1150 meters as a small to medium sized, warm to cool growing terreestrial with ellipsoid to elongate-ellipsoid, tomentose, tubers giving rise to an erect, slender to rather stout stem carrying 2, basal, large, adpressed to the ground, broadly ovate to reniform-orbicular, rather fleshy leaves, with 5 to 7, cauline, lanceolate, acuminate leaves above that blooms in the later spring on an erect, terminal, [8 to 22 cm] long, may flowered inflorescence with shorter than the ovary floral bracts and carrying white to greenish cream flowers
" The nearest ally of H. helicoplectrum is evidently H. armatissima , which resemble it closely in flower structure and general habit, but possesses much longer pendulous spurs, between 3 and 6 inches [7.5 to 15 cm] in length." Summerhayes 1931
Synonyms Arachnaria helicoplectrum (Summerh.) Szlach. 2003
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1931: 379 Summerhayes 1931;
Orchids Of Kenya : 134 Stewart & Campbell 1996;
Richardiana 3: 156 Szlach. 2003 as Arachnaria helicoplectrum
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