Habenaria nyikensis G.Will. 1980 SECTION Diphyllae Drawing by © Williamson

Common Name The Nyika Habenaria [A Plateau in Malawi]

Flower Size

Found on the Nyika Plateau of northern Malawi in short, open, montane grasslands at elevations of 1660 to 2250 meters as a small sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial with ellipsoid tubers giving rise to an erect, leafy stem carrying a basal, adpressed to the ground, orbicular, basally cordate, rounded to apiculate apically leaf and 20 to 30 bract like, linear-lanceolate stem leaves above that blooms in the summer on an erect, terminal, 4 to 6" [10 to 15 cm] long, densely 20 to 30 flowered inflorescence with much longer than the ovary floral rbacts and carrying green flowers.

It seems that this species is a very reluctant, rare bloomer, but all over the plateau it has often been found in large colonies of just leaves without any sign of previous flowerings.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of South Central Africa Williamson 1977 as Habenaria sp #31 pg 63 drawing fide; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 2 Pope 1998

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------