Holothrix orthoceras (Harv.) Rchb.f. 1881

Photo by © Lourens Grobler

Plant and Flowers in situ

Photo by © Cameron & Rhoda McMaster and their African Bulbs - South African Orchid Page

Full shade Cool LATESummer Winter

Common Name The Straight Horn Carrying Holothrix [refers to the spur]

Flower Size 1/4" [6 mm]

Found in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Cape Province, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal South Africa at elevations of 300 to 2050 meters in submontane grasslands or amongst mossy rocks often in deep shade as a miniature to small sized, cool growing terrestrial with ovoid tubers with 2, adpressed to the ground, ovate, glabrous, dark green with white venation leaves that blooms in the summer through winter on a sparsely hairy, sheathless, [2.4 to 4.4" [6 to 11 cm] long, to 20 flowered inflorescence carrying secund flowers

Synonyms *Tryphia orthoceras Harv.1863

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; The Epiphytic Orchids of Malawi Morris 1970; Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Linder, Schelpe & Hall 1982 photo fide; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Part 1 Pope 1995; Orchids of Southern Africa Linder & Kurzweil 1999 drawing/photo fide; Field Guide to the Orchids of Northern South Africa and Swaziland McMurty, Grobler, Grobler & Burns 2008 photos fide; Terrestrial African Orchids, A select Review John S. Ball 2009 drawing fide

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