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Cynorkis kirkii
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Photo: Margaret Westrop
Chitinje Marsh, Zomba Plateau
Photo: Margaret Westrop
Chitinje Marsh, Zomba Plateau
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| Synonyms: |
Cynorkis oblonga Schltr. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Terrestrial herb, up to 45 cm tall. Basal leaf usually 1, sometimes 2, ovate, up to 21 × 5 cm, pale green, hairless. Peduncle with 1 sheathing leaf. Inflorescence 1-10-flowered. Flowers lilac, white or yellowish in the centre, lip usually paler than sepals and petals; dorsal sepal forming a hood with the petals; lip 8-20 mm long, 4-lobed; lobes oblong to spathulate, truncate or rounded at the ends; spur 15-30 mm long, slender, more or less straight. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | kirkii: named after Dr John Kirk, who accompanied David Livingstone on his Zambezi expedition of 1858 |
| Habitat: | On earth banks and rocky seepage slopes, usually in shade. |
| Altitude range: | Up to 1800 m |
| Flowering time: | Jan - Feb |
| Worldwide distribution: | Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. |
| Malawi distribution: | N,C,S |
| Growth form(s): | Terrestrial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Content last updated: | Wednesday 11 November 2020 |
| Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 19. Fibeck, W. & Dare, M. (1993). Terrestrial Orchids in Zimbabwe. Excelsa 16 Page 55. Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 79. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Page 53. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 48. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 95. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 53 - 54. (Includes a picture). Morris, B. (1967). The epiphytic orchids of Soche Mountain. Historic and Scientific Society of Malawi Journal 20(2) Page 31. Morris, B. (1970). Epiphytic Orchids of Malawi The Society of Malawi Pages 26 - 27. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1976). A Provisional Checklist of the Orchidaceae of Mozambique South African Journal of Botany 42(4) Page 390. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 133. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 84. |
Other sources of information about Cynorkis kirkii:
Our websites:
Flora of Mozambique: Cynorkis kirkiiFlora of Zimbabwe: Cynorkis kirkii
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cynorkis kirkiiAfrican Plant Database: Cynorkis kirkii
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cynorkis kirkii
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cynorkis kirkii
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cynorkis kirkii
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cynorkis kirkii
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cynorkis kirkii
JSTOR Plant Science: Cynorkis kirkii
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cynorkis kirkii
Plants of the World Online: Cynorkis kirkii
Tropicos: Cynorkis kirkii
Wikipedia: Cynorkis kirkii
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