Satyrium aberrans Summerh. 1996 SECTION Saccata
Photo by © P J Cribb and The Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Jany Renz Herbaria Website
Drawing by Mary Grierson © A Stolz JSTOR Plant Sciences Website
Common Name The Aberrant Satyrium
Flower Size
Found in Tanzania and Zimbabwe in rock crevasses at elevations around 1800 to 2100 meters as a mini-miniature to miniature sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial with ovoid to elongate ovoid, more or less tomentose tubers giving rise to an erect, slender stem carrying 3 to 5, the lowest sheathlike, the 2 to 3 middle, spreading, ovate to elliptical to lanceolate, obtuse to acute, fleshy, progressively smaller above leaves that blooms in the fall on an erect, .8 to 1.2" [2 to 4 cm] long, densely several to many flowered inflorescence with spreading, lanceolate, acute, longer than the flowers floral bracts
"In general habit and flower structure, especially the column, this species is clearly referable to sect. Saccata in which it closely resembles S retusum, a native of the western Cape Province of South Africa, It departs however from all other species of this section in possesing spurs which equal or exceed in length the labellum itself. From this feature the specific epiteth is derived. It is clearly an inhabitant of mountains regions and should be looked for on suitable peaks in the between its 2 known areas of distribution. The species is also related to the more northerly S ecalcaratum , but that species lacks a spur entirely." Summerhayes 1966
Synonyms
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
* Kew Bull. 20: 182 Summerhayes 1966
Kew Bull. 20: 181 Summerhayes 1966 Drawing fide
Flora of Tropical East Africa Part 1 Summerhayes 1968 drawing;
Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Part 1 Pope 1995 drawing fide;
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