Bolusiella iridifolia (Rolfe) Schltr.
subsp. picea P.J. Cribb

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Castleburn cliffs, Vumba

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Synonyms:	Bolusiella sp. of Williamson, Orch. S. Centr. Africa: 190 (1977). Bolusiella sp. of Morris, Epiphyt. Orch. Malawi: 96 (1970). Bolusiella sp. no. 1 sensu Grosvenor (1976) (Wild 2083) Tridactyle iridifolia (Rolfe) Schltr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Small epiphyte or rarely lithophyte; stem 10–20 mm long with very fine, wiry roots, less than 1 mm in diameter. Leaves 5–9, overlapping at the base, forming a fan, fleshy, recurved, 10–25 mm long and 3–4 mm wide, bilaterally flattened with a groove along the upper surface, dark green. Inflorescences usually 2 per plant, arising below the leaves, 2–5 cm long, densely c. 20-flowered. Peduncle with c. 5 black, sheathing bracts. Flowers somewhat bell-shaped, white. Sepals ovate, c. 1.5 mm long; petals slightly shorter. Lip entire, triangular 1–1.7 mm long; spur conical, saccate, c. 0.5 mm long, green.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	iridifolia: with leaves like an Iris
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Feb - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Growth form(s):	Epiphyte, lithophyte.
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 66 - 67. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 317. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 9. As Bolusiella iridifolia Cribb, P.J. (1977). New orchids from South Central Africa Kew Bulletin 32(1) Pages 178 - 180. (Includes a picture). 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 Bolusiella iridifolia Fischer, E., Killmann, D., Delepierre, G. & Lebel, J-P. (2010). The Orchids of Rwanda Koblenz Geographical Colloquia Series Biogeographical Monographs 2 Pages 108 - 109. as Bolusiella lebeliana (Includes a picture). Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 78. As Bolusiella sp. no. 1 Kimberley, M.J. (2003). A List of Epiphytic Orchids of Zimbabwe Excelsa 20 Page 49. La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 401 - 402. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1983). Malawi Orchids Volume 1 Epiphytic Orchids National Fauna Preservation Society of Malawi Page 38. La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 259. 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 94. Morris, B. (1970). Epiphytic Orchids of Malawi The Society of Malawi Page 96. As Bolusiella sp. Morris No. 48 (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 117. Stewart, J. & Campbell, B. (1996). Orchids of Kenya Timber Press Inc, Portland Oregon, USA ISBN0-88192-357-5 Pages 25 - 26. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 131. Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 190 - 191. as Bolusiella sp. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 83. As Bolusiella sp.

Other sources of information about Bolusiella iridifolia subsp. picea:

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Flora of the DRC: Bolusiella iridifolia subsp. picea
Flora of Malawi: Bolusiella iridifolia subsp. picea
Flora of Rwanda: Bolusiella iridifolia subsp. picea
Flora of Zambia: Bolusiella iridifolia subsp. picea
Flora of Zimbabwe: Bolusiella iridifolia subsp. picea

External websites:

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