Disa uniflora P.J.Bergius

"Disa uniflora was first discovered in South Africa. The terrestrial orchid is often found along streams, near waterfalls and in drainage areas along cliffs, near Cape Town and in the southwestern Cape province"

Disa uniflora P.J.Bergius, Descr. Pl. Cap. 348. (1767).

Disa uniflora P.J.Bergius, Photos Fredy Mohorich

Family:

Orchidaceae.

Synonym Name: 

Disa barellii De Puydt

Disa grandiflora L.f.

Satyrium grandiflorum Thunb.

English Name:

The Single Flowered Disa

Description: 

It is a fairly stout perennial 15 – 60 cm in height, spreading by stolons. The leaves are lance shaped, the lower ones spreading or semi-erect up to 25 cm long. The inflorescence is 1-3 flowered. The blooms are showy, and can be 10 cm across the laterally spreading sepals, which are scarlet to carmine in color. The middle, upright sepal is pinkish on the inside with scarlet veins. The petals, which are very much smaller than the sepals, are erect colored yellow with red spots at their tops, but pale scarlet at their bases. It blooms during the summer months, particularly in January, but continuing into March. Its pollination is one of the most complex of all the orchids, involving the mountain pride butterfly, Aeropetes tulbaghia.

Distribution:

Table Mountain in South Africa

Ecological:

Fast moving water along streams, rock crevasses. At elevations of 200 to 1250 m.

The butterfly Meneris tulbaghia is the only known pollinator of Disa uniflora.

Flowering times:

Blooms in the autum

Flower size:

9-11 cm

Cultivation:

Along perennial streams - in the spray of waterfalls and in wet seepages over cliffs - in shade or sunlight

Ref:

orchidspecies.com

ipni.org

powo.science.kew.org

Johnson, S. & Bytebier, B. (2015). Orchids of South Africa. A field guide: 1-536. Struik nature, Cape Town, South Africa.