Satyrium pygmaeum Sond. 1846 SUBGENUS Brachysaccium

Photo by © Tamcat and his The I Spot Southern Africa Website

Common Name The Tiny Satyrium [a misnomer as some plants can obtain 8" [20 cm] in height]

Flower Size

Found in southwestern Cape Province South Africa on steep mountain slopes and ledges at elevations of 240 to 1980 meters as a mini-miniature to small sized, cold growing terrestrial with a slender, decumbent to erect stem carrying 1 to 3, the lowesst spreading near the ground, the upper partly erect, ovate, obtuse to subacute, transversely "V" shaped leaves that blooms in the spring on a terminal, erect, to 8" [to 20 cm] long, moderately dense, many flowered inflorescence with deflexed at flowering, longer than the ovary floral bracts and carrying honey-coconut scented flowers.

The flattened, horizontal aspect of the flowers and the shorter floral bracts are the most consistent diagnostic trait and separates this species from the similar S retusum.

Synonyms Satyrium pentherianum Kraenzl. 1901; Satyrium schlechteri Rolfe 1912

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Schelpe, Linder and Hall 1982; The Cape Orchids Vol 2 Liltved & Johnson 2012 photos fide; Orchids of Southern Africa Linder & Kurzweil 1999 photo fide;

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