Habenaria macroplectron Schltr. 1903 SECTION Macrurae Kraenzl.
Photo by © N Wightman and The Flora of Zambia WebSite
Collection sheet by © Baum and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria WebSite
Common Name The Very Large Spur Habenaria
Flower Size
Found in Zaire, Angola and Zambia in marshy grasslands at elevations around 1150 to 1360 meters as a small to large sized, cool growing terrestrial with globose tubers giving rise to an erect stem carrying 8 to 10, the lowermost 2, funnel-shaped sheaths, the next few, semi-spreading, the largest, lanceolate, pale green, rather fleshy, looosely funnel-shaped below leaves that blooms in the summer on a terminal, erect, to 4.8" [12 cm] long, fairly densely 5 to 10 flowered inflorescence with leafy, fairly transparent pillose haired bracts.
Tubers of this species are used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda which has caused wild populations to be threatened by over-harvesting.
"Closely related to H gonatosiphon but differ in the length of the petal lobes and stigmatophores, The anterior is much shorter than the posterior petal lobe in the former species and distinctly longer thna the posterior on petal lobe in the latter species. The stigmatophores of H macroplectron are .36 to .44" [9 to 11 mm] long, and those of H gonatosiphon are .2 to .26" [5 to 6 mm] long." Szlatchecko etal 2010
Synonyms Macrura macroplectron (Schltr.) Szlach. & Sawicka 2003
References W3 Tropicos,Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Kunene-Sambesi Exped.: 206 Schlechter 1903
The Orchids of South Central Africa Williamson 1977 drawing fide;
Flore D'Afrique Centrale [Zaire- Rwands - Burundi] Orhidaceae Premeir parte Geerink 1984;
Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 1 Pope 1995;
Orchidee (Hamburg) 54: 332 Szlach 2003 as Macrura macroplectron
Orchidaceae of West Central Africa Vol 1: 243 Szlatchecko etal 2010 as Macrura macroplectron drawing fide
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