Disperis virginalis Schltr.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Near Fields' Cottage, Ezulwini, nr Mt Rukotso

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge Fern Garden, Vumba.

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Synonyms:	Disperis nelsonii Rolfe
Common names:
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Description:	Slender terrestrial herb up to 25 cm high but usually smaller. Leaves 2, more or less opposite,ovate, 2-7.5 cm long. Inflorescence 1-3-flowered. Flowers usually white (in ours), sometimes with purple spots, elsewhere also pale to deep pink. Dorsal sepal linear, 10-13 mm long, joined with the petals to form an open hood. Lateral sepals 8-10 mm long, joined near the base, spreading, each with a curved sac-like spur, 1.5-2.5 mm long. Lip erect with a claw c. 6 mm long and a recurved papillose appendage, dilated into 4 spreading lobes or 2 bifid lobes at the apex.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	virginalis: pure white. Although flowers in zimbabwe usually are white this name appears somewhat strange since the type was from South Africa and flowers there are normally pink.
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Eastern Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Growth form(s):	Terrestrial.
Endemic status:
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Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Ball, J.S. (2009). Terrestrial African Orchids, A Selected Review. Pages 98 - 99. (Includes a picture). Fibeck, W. & Dare, M. (1993). Terrestrial Orchids in Zimbabwe. Excelsa 16 Page 57. Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 80. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1995). Orchidaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 11(1) Page 247. Linder, H.P. & Kurzweil, H. (1999). Orchids of Southern Africa A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands ISBN 90-5410-445-7 Pages 302 - 303. (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 95. McMurtry, D., Grobler, L., Grobler, J. & Burns, S. (2008). Field Guide to the ORCHIDS of Northern South Africa and Swaziland Umdaus Press, PO Box 11059 Hatfield 0028 South Africa Pages 252 - 253. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Disperis virginalis:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Disperis virginalis

External websites:

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