Disperis tripetaloides (Thouars) Lindl.

Kurzweil, Hubert & Manning, John C., 2005, A synopsis of the genus Disperis Sw. (Orchidaceae), Adansonia (3) 27 (2), pp. 155-207 : 175-176

7. Disperis tripetaloides (Thouars) Lindl.

Gen. Sp. Orch. Pl. 371 (1839), as tripetaloidea; Schlechter, Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 1, 6: 932 (1898), as tripetaloidea; H. Perrier in Humbert, Fl. Madag. (Engl. revis.), Orch.: 117 (1981), as tripetaloidea; Du Puy et al., Orch. Madag.: 136 (1999); la Croix et al., Adansonia 24: 76 (2002). — Dryopeia tripetaloides Thouars, Hist. Orchid. : t. 3 (1822). — Type: La Réunion, Thouars s.n. (holo-, P). Dryorkis tridris Thouars, Hist. Orchid. : t. 3 (1822),

nom. superfl. pro Dryopeia tripetaloides Thouars (1822) .

Plants to 220 mm. Leaves 2-3, alternate, ovate, 15-50 × 8-25 mm. Flowers 1-5, white or rosecoloured; median sepal linear, 8-9 mm, hood shallow, 6.5-8.5 × 3-5 mm, lateral sepals elliptic, 7-10 × 5 mm, nearly free; petals semi-circular, 6- 8 mm long; lip blade oblong with fleshy and papillose structure at tip, appendage papillose, more or less bilobed ( Fig. 4A, E ).

DISTRIBUTION AND PHENOLOGY. — Madagascar, Seychelles, Comores, Mauritius, La Réunion and Rodrigues; singly or in small colonies in rich soil in the understorey of semidry (rarely humid) forest, from sea level to about 700 m. Flowering mostly from November to June. In his description Lindley (1839) erroneously cited a specimen from Sri Lanka under this species, which was later referred to D. zeylanica (= D. neilgherrensis ).

Figures

FIG. 4. — Flowers and floral details in the “Johnstonii group”: A, E, Disperis tripetaloides (Thouars) Lindl.: A, flower; E, lip; B, D. reichenbachiana Welw. ex Rchb.f., lip and gynostemium; C, D. leuconeura Schltr., lip; D, D. johnstonii Rchb.f. ex Rolfe, lip; F, D. togoensis Schltr., lip. Drawn from alcohol material: A, E, Jeffrey 407; B, Polhill & Paulo 1467; C, McLoughlin 106; D, Cole s.n.; F, Scholes 20.