Polystachya valentina la Croix & P.J. Cribb

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (22)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ridge on Mt Shangani, eastern Chimanimani Mts.

Photo: Bart Wursten
At junction of Mucandue and Muvumodzi rivers, eastern Chimanimani Mts.

Photo: Bart Wursten
On "Mte Chimanimani", above Mevumodzi Valley at Eastern Lakes, Chimanimani Mts

Photo: Bart Wursten
At ?Mosquito Camp? area, plateau below Mt Binga, Chimanimani National Reserve

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Polystachya sp. no. 1 sensu Grosvenor (1976)
Common names:
Frequency:	Locally frequent
Status:	Native
Description:	Small lithophytic herb. Pseudobulbs, clustered, conical. Leaves 4-5 per pseudobulb, elliptic, dark green, often with purple margins. Inflorescence unbranched, 6-10 flowered. Flowers pale to deep plum-pink; lip white.
Notes:	Although probably more common and widespread throughout the Chimanimani Mountains on the Mozambique side, the specimens in the photographs are the first confirmed records from Mozambique.
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	Growing on granite and quartzite sandstone rocks in montane grassland and woodland.
Altitude range:	1200 - 1800 m
Flowering time:	Oct - Dec
Worldwide distribution:	Restricted to the Chimanimani Mountains of Mozambique and Zimbabwe
Mozambique distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Tuesday 21 January 2020
Literature:	Ball, J.S. (1978). Southern African Epiphytic Orchids. Conservation Press, Johannesburg. Pages 184 - 185. as Polystachya sp. no. 1 (Includes a picture). Cribb, P.J. & La Croix, I. (1996). New Polystachya species (Orchidaceae) from tropical West and South-central Africa Kew Bulletin 51(3) Pages 575 - 577. Protologue (Includes a picture). Darbyshire, I., Timberlake, J., Osborne, J., Rokni, S., Matimele, H., Langa. C., Datizua, C., de Sousa, C., Alves, T., Massingue, A., Hadj-Hammou, J., Dhanda, S., Shah, T., Wursten, B. (2019). The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status Phytotaxa 136 Page 78. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 175. Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 85. as Polystachya sp. no. 1 Kimberley, M.J. (2003). A List of Epiphytic Orchids of Zimbabwe Excelsa 20 Page 50. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 356 - 357. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. (2002). Endemic Plant Species of Zimbabwe. Kirkia 18(1) Page 130. 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 97. Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. (2011). A Monograph of the Subtribe Polystachyinae Schltr. (Orchidaceae) University of Gdansk, Poland, ISBN 978 83 7531 174 4 Pages 258 - 259. (Includes a picture). Timberlake, J., Darbyshire, I., Wursten, B., Hadj-Hammou, J., Ballings, P., Mapaura, A., Matimele, H., Banze, A., Chipanga, H., Muassinar, D., Massunde, J., Chelene, I., Osborne, J., Shah, T. (2016). Chimanimani Mountains: Botany and Conservation. Report produced under CEPF Grant 63512. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. Page 47. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 84.

Other sources of information about Polystachya valentina:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Polystachya valentina

External websites:

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