Polystachya minima Rendle 1895 SECTION Isochiloides Summerhayes Photo by © Lourens Grobler.

Inflorescence Photo courtesy of Eric Hunt, plant grown by Marni Turkel

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Common Name The Least Polystachya

Found in southern Malawi within 50 km of Blantyre on trunks and main branches of trees in rainforests at elevations of 800 to 1400 meters as a small to medium sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte and occaisional lithophyte with green, ovoid, chain-forming pseudobulbs carrying 2 to 3 linear, grasslike,deciduous leaves that are fully mature at blooming which occurs on a 4 to 5 3/4" [10 to 14cm]long, to 10 flowered inflorescence with spicely scented, pubescent flowers.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Malawi Orchids vol 1 La Croix 1983 drawing fide; African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1997 photo fide; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 2 Pope 1998;

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