Habenaria verdickii (De Wild.) Schltr.

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Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Lubuli area, Kawambwa Distr., Luapula Prov.

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Synonyms:	Bonatea verdickii De Wild. Habenaria cordifolia Summerh. Habenaria monophylla Schltr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Terrestrial herb 20-30 cm tall growing from ellipsoid tomentose tubers c. 2.5 cm long; basal leaf 1, appressed to ground, c. 4.5-5 x 4-7.5 cm, orbicular to kidney-shaped, cordate at base, glabrous; flowering stem with 3-5 bract-like sheathing leaves c. 3 cm long; inflorescence laxly 2-11-flowered; flowers white or yellow green; ovary and pedicel 15-20 mm long, slightly arched; dorsal sepal erect, 9-16 x 4.5-7 mm, ovate, convex; lateral sepals deflexed, 11-16.5 x 3.5-5 mm, obliquely lanceolate; all sepals with 3 toothed keels on outside; petals 2-lobed to base, upper lobe erect, 7.5-18 x 0.5-1 mm, linear, lower lobe 12-28 x c. 1 mm, curving up; lip porrect, 3-lobed almost to base, mid-lobe 8-17.5 x 0.5-1.5 mm, linear, side lobes 8-16.5 x c. 1 mm; spur 10-18 mm long, inflated at apex, parallel to ovary.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	verdickii: named after Edgard Antoine Auguste Verdick, Belgian-born plant collector in Katanga.
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Jan - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Angola east through DRC, Zambia and Malawi south to Zimbabwe
Malawi distribution:	N,C,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 328. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Pages 145 - 147. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 99. (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 96. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 122. Summerhayes, V.S. (1964). African orchids XXIX Kew Bulletin 17(3) Page 529. Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 63 - 65. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Habenaria verdickii:

Our websites:

Flora of Zambia: Habenaria verdickii
Flora of Zimbabwe: Habenaria verdickii

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Habenaria verdickii
African Plant Database: Habenaria verdickii
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Habenaria verdickii
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Habenaria verdickii
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Habenaria verdickii
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Habenaria verdickii
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Habenaria verdickii
JSTOR Plant Science: Habenaria verdickii
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Habenaria verdickii
Plants of the World Online: Habenaria verdickii
Tropicos: Habenaria verdickii
Wikipedia: Habenaria verdickii