Habenaria perpulchra Kraenzl.

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Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Mwana-Mwata area, Kasama Distr., Northern Province

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Synonyms:	Habenaria platymera Schltr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Terrestrial herb up to 35 cm tall growing from ovoid or ellipsoid tubers; stem erect with 1 basal leaf and 2-7 loosely sheathing stem leaves; basal leaf appressed to ground, c. 4.5 cm long and broad, ovate , orbicular or reniform with cordate base, fleshy; stem leaves 2-3 cm long; inflorescence 1-5 flowered; flowers erect, white; ovary and pedicel 2.5-4 cm long, ovary with 6 toothed wings; sepals all with 1-3 keels on outer surface; dorsal sepal erect, elliptic, convex, 11-16 x 6 mm; lateral sepals deflexed, 17-20 x 6-8 mm, obliquely lanceolate; petals 2-lobed almost to base, upper lobed erect, 12.5-14 x 2-3 mm, lower lobes oblanceolate from a narrow base, 14-20 x 3.5-5 mm; lip projecting forwards, 3-lobed to c. 2 mm from base, all lobes oblanceolate from a narrow base, mid-lobe 15-21 x 4.5-9 mm, side lobes 15-21 x 5-7.5 mm long, somewhat incurved; spur pendent, 24-30 mm long, very swollen in apical third.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	perpulchra: per: throughout/all over and pulchra: beautiful
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Feb
Worldwide distribution:	DRC and Zambia east to Malawi and Tanzania
Malawi distribution:	N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Page 148. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 121. Summerhayes, V.S. (1957). African orchids XXIV Kew Bulletin 12(1) Pages 109 - 110. Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Page 63.

Other sources of information about Habenaria perpulchra:

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Flora of Zambia: Habenaria perpulchra

External websites:

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