Polystachya albescens Ridl.
subsp. imbricata (Rolfe) Summerh.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
La Rochelle Botanic Garden, Penhalonga

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Synonyms:	Polystachya imbricata Rolfe
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Epiphytic orchid. Stems clustered, not thickened into pseudobulbs, green; base sometimes covered in remains of old leaf-sheaths. Leaves 3-4, sheathing at the base, apex rounded or pointed. Inflorescence up to 60 mm long with up to 20 pale cream to yellowish-green flowers.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	albescens: whitish; imbricata: overlapping like roof tiles; possibly referring to the closely spaced flower bracts
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Oct - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Cameroon, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Limpopo, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Ball, J.S. (1978). Southern African Epiphytic Orchids. Conservation Press, Johannesburg. Pages 166 - 167. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 45. Cribb, P.J. (1984). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 355 - 356. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 27. As Acalypha psilostachya Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 85. 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 329 - 330. La Croix, I. et al. (1983). Malawi Orchids Volume 1 Epiphytic Orchids National Fauna Preservation Society of Malawi Pages 103 - 104. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Pages 210 - 211. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I.F. & La Croix T.M. (1983). Orchids of Bvumbwe The Society of Malawi Journal 36(2) Page 17. Linder, H.P. & Kurzweil, H. (1999). Orchids of Southern Africa A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands ISBN 90-5410-445-7 Pages 409 - 411. (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 97. 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 400 - 401. (Includes a picture). Morris, B. (1965). Epiphytic orchids of the Limbuli Stream, Mlanje The Society of Malawi Journal 18(2) Page 62. as Polystachya albescens Morris, B. (1967). The epiphytic orchids of Soche Mountain. Historic and Scientific Society of Malawi Journal 20(2) Page 32. Morris, B. (1970). Epiphytic Orchids of Malawi The Society of Malawi Page 56. Mytnik-Ejsmont, J. (2011). A Monograph of the Subtribe Polystachyinae Schltr. (Orchidaceae) University of Gdansk, Poland, ISBN 978 83 7531 174 4 Pages 169 - 170. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 123. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1976). A Provisional Checklist of the Orchidaceae of Mozambique South African Journal of Botany 42(4) Page 391. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 139. Summerhayes, V.S. (1956). African orchids XXIII Kew Bulletin 11(2) Pages 225 - 226. As Polystachya imbricata subsp. imbricata Summerhayes, V.S. (1958). African orchids XXV Kew Bulletin 13(1) Pages 74 - 75. Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 117 - 118. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 84.

Other sources of information about Polystachya albescens subsp. imbricata:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Polystachya albescens subsp. imbricata
Flora of Mozambique: Polystachya albescens subsp. imbricata
Flora of Zambia: Polystachya albescens subsp. imbricata
Flora of Zimbabwe: Polystachya albescens subsp. imbricata

External websites:

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