Habenaria leucotricha Schltr.
var. leucotricha

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Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Mutuwili Farm, Kabwe, Kabwe Distr., Central Prov.

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Doubtful
Description:	Terrestrial herb up to 20 cm tall growing from an ellipsoid tuber c. 1-2 x 0.5-1 cm; stem erect, rather slender, with a single leaf at the base and a few sheaths at intervals, covered with spreading white hairs; leaf adpressed to the ground, orbicular, broadly orbicular or ovate-orbicular, obtuse or apiculate, cordate at the base, 2.5–4 cm. long, 2.7–6 cm. broad, glabrous beneath, with white scattered hairs on the upper surface, the margins ciliate, sometimes whitish with green reticulations; inflorescence 3–10 cm. long, rather closely 3–12-flowered, rhachis with spreading hairs; bracts lanceolate, very acute, 6–10 mm. long, hairy; flowers suberect or ± spreading, white or rarely yellow, pedicel with ovary 10–13 mm. long, densely hairy; dorsal sepal erect, elliptical, obtuse, convex, 8–12 mm. long, ± 5 mm. broad; laterals spreading, obliquely elliptical-lanceolate, acute, 9–11 mm. long, 3.5–4.5 mm. broad, all sepals hairy outside; petals 2-lobed nearly to the base, upper lobe erect, curved lanceolate-linear, acute, c. 8 x 1.75 mm, with a few cilia on the outer margin, lower lobe deflexed, linear, 8–12 x 0.5 mm, glabrous; lip 3-lobed from an undivided base c. 1 mm. long, glabrous; middle lobe deflexed, broadly linear, obtuse, 9.5–11 mm x 1.5–2 mm; side lobes curved upwards, usually a little longer than the middle lobe but only half as broad; spur abruptly incurved about the middle, the apical half swollen, 12–16.5 mm. long. Var. leucotricha differs from the other subspecies in having a geniculate spur with an acute apex and lip side lobes up to 12 mm long.
Notes:	This species is mentioned in the Preliminary Checklist of Vascular plants of Mozambique (SABONET report 30, 2009). It is however absent from both Flora Zambesiaca (La Croix & Cribb, 1995) and the Provisional Checklist of Orchidaceae of Mozambique (Schelpe, 1973).
Derivation of specific name:	leucotricha : with white hairs;
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Dec - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia
Mozambique 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 326. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 129. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Pages 140 - 142. La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 92. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 121. Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 61 - 62. as Habenaria leucotricha (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Habenaria leucotricha var. leucotricha:

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Flora of Malawi: Habenaria leucotricha var. leucotricha
Flora of Zambia: Habenaria leucotricha var. leucotricha

External websites:

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