Polystachya holmesiana P.J.Cribb 1977 SECTION Affines Photo by © Lourens Grobler and his Afriorchid Flickr Orchid Photo Website

Common Name Holmes' Polystachya [British Original Collector of species current]

Flower Size

Found in Zaire and Zambia in woodlands and riverine forests at elevations of 1600 to 1920 meters as a small sized, cool growing epiphyte and occasional lithophyte with clustered, oblong, somewhat bilaterally flattened, ribbed, usually 2 noded pseudobulbs carrying 2 to 4, apical, distichous, ligulate, conduplicate leaves that are absent to just developing at blooming in the fall on an erect, terminal, pubescent, 4.8 to 12" [12 to 30 cm] long, to 15 flowered inflorescence with broadly ovate, acuminate floral bracts.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Malawi Orchids vol 1 La Croix 1983 drawing good; African Orchid in Cultivation and the Wild La Croix 1997; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 2 Pope 1998; Orchidaceae of West Central Africa Vol 2 Szlach. etal 2015 drawing good;

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