Polystachya lawrenceana Kraenzl. 1893 SECTION Affines

Inflorescence Photos by Lourens Grobler ©

Common Name Lawrence's Polystachya [English Orchid Collector 1800's early 1900's]

Flower Size 3/4" [2.2 cm]

Found only in southern Malawi on the Zomba Plateau at elevations of 1350 to 1600 meters on rock faces as a small sized, cool growing lithophyte with conical-elliptic, glossy green, 2 to 3 noded pseduobulbs and carrying strap-shaped, slightly bilobed apically, floppy leaves that blooms in the summer on an arching, 6" [15 cm] long, laxly to 10 flowered inflorescence with fleshy, pubescent on the outside flowers.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Malawi Orchids vol 1 La Croix 1983 drawing good; African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1997 photo/drawing fide; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 2 Pope 1998 drawing fide; Orchid Digest vol 71 #3 2007photo fide;

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