Polystachya valentina I.la Croix & P.J.Cribb 1996 SECTION Affines Kranzlin Photos by © Lourens Grobler.

Inflorescence Photo by Eric Hunt, plant grown by Marni Turkel

Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of Walter Teague

Common Name The Valentin Polystachya

Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]

Found in eastern Zimbabwe on mountain slopes arising on granite and sandstone rocks at elevations of 1200 to 1800 meters as a small sized, cool growing lithophyte with conical to pear shaped, clustered, slightly ridged, single noded pseudobulbs carrying 4 to 5, narrowly elliptic, dark green leaves with a purple margin and blooms on a pubescent, 3 to 5" [7.5 to 12 cm] long, several to many [6 to 10] flowered inflorescence occuring in the summer with long-lasting, pubescent, flowers.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1997 drawing ok; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 2 Pope 1998 drawing/photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 71 No 3 2007 photo fide;

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