Orchidaceae
Disa

Disa similis Summerh.

First published in Kew Bull. 17: 552 (1964)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Tropical Africa, SE. Cape Prov. to E. KwaZulu-Natal. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:1. 1995

Morphology General Habit
Erect terrestrial herb, 25–50 cm tall, slender, perennating by tubers.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves lax to imbricate, 3–8, lower leaves to 12 cm long, upper leaves to 1.5 cm long, lanceolate, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence lax, 7–18 cm long, 10–30-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Floral bracts narrowly ovate, acuminate, about as long as ovary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers borne horizontally, pale violet, blue or mauve, the lip with a yellow apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur c. 3 mm long, conical, subacute, laterally flattened, straight.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Lateral sepals 7–9 mm long, oblong to obovate, acute to rounded, patent. Dorsal sepal erect, rotund, rounded, forming a galea 7–9 mm tall, 5.5–9 mm wide and c. 3 mm deep.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals erect, 3.5–4.5 mm long, obliquely oblong, truncate or rounded, with a 1–2 mm high basal anticuous lobe flanking the anther.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3.5–4.5 mm long, oblong, rounded, with two side lobes at the base curved up over the stigma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Rostellum
Rostellum erect, fused to the petals by keels almost as tall as the lateral lobes, c. 2 mm tall, central lobe obsolete.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anther to 2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigma flat, tripulvinate, almost square, shortly stipitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary twisted, 10–13 mm long.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0