Disa welwitschii Rchb.f.
subsp. occultans (Schltr.) H.P.Linder

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Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Kalonde Falls, Chipili area, Kawambwa Distr., Luapula Province

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Synonyms:	Disa occultans Schltr. Disa subaequalis Summerh. Disa tanganyikensis Summerh. Disa welwitschii var. occultans (Schltr.) Geerinck
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Terrestrial herb, 20-100 cm tall. Leaves 2-4 on a separate sterile shoot,semi-erect, linear-elliptic, 10-30 cm long, folded along the length, basal sheath often blotched with red. Leaves along the fertile shoot, lanceolate, 3-10 cm long, lanceolate, mostly sheathing, the basal 2 reduced to short sheaths blotched with red. Inflorescence 3-14 cm long, densely 20-100-flowered; bracts inconspicuous, as long as the ovaries or longer at the base of the inflorescence. Flowers bright orange-red to carmine. Dorsal sepal erect, forming a narrowly oblong to lanceolate hood, 4.5-11 mm long, with pendent spur, 3.5-6 mm long. Lateral sepals 5-9 mm long, obliquely oblong-ovate. Petals 2-lobed, anterior lobe 3-8 mm long, ovate, spreading, the upper margin incurved; posterior lobe c. one third longer than anterior lobe, ovate-lanceolate, often truncate. Lip pendent, linear, 4-12 mm long. Subspecies occultans differs in plants generally taller; dorsal sepal 5-11 mm long and lateral sepals 7-11.5(13) x 4-6(8) mm; petal posterior lobe generally as tall as or slightly taller that the anterior lobe, ± ovate lanceolate, acute; flowers pink or variations on pink, spur 5-9 mm long.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	welwitschii: named after the Austrian botanist, Friedrich Martin Welwitsch (1806-1872). occultans: hidden or hiding.
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Dec - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, DRC, Malawi and Zambia
Malawi distribution:	N
Growth form(s):	Terrestrial.
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 322. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Pages 164 - 165. La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 115. (Includes a picture). Linder, H.P. (1981). Taxonomic studies in the Disinae (Orchidaceae): IV A revision of Disa Berg. sect. Micranthae Lindl. Bulletin du Jardin Botanique National de Belgique 51(3/4) Pages 306 - 310. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 119. Stewart, J. & Campbell, B. (1996). Orchids of Kenya Timber Press Inc, Portland Oregon, USA ISBN0-88192-357-5 Pages 106 - 107. (Includes a picture). Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 80 - 81. as Disa welwitschii (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Zambia: Disa welwitschii subsp. occultans

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African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Disa welwitschii
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Disa welwitschii
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Disa welwitschii
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iNaturalist: Disa welwitschii
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Disa welwitschii
JSTOR Plant Science: Disa welwitschii
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Disa welwitschii
Plants of the World Online: Disa welwitschii
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Wikipedia: Disa welwitschii