Brachycorythis pleistophylla
Rchb. f.
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Charles Hopkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Charles Hopkins
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) bureaubenjamin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
An ground orchid. It is a herb that grows 40-90 cm tall. It has fleshy, woolly cylinder shaped roots. There are several overlapping leaves. These are 10 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. They are sword shaped and taper to the tip. The flowering stalk is 12-25 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. It has many flowers in a dense arrangement. The flowers are red to purple.
Edible Uses
The roots and tubers are edible.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant.
Where It Grows
Africa, East Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania,
Synonyms
Brachycorythis briartiana Kraenzl.Brachycorythis macclouniei BraidBrachycorythis perrieri Schltr.Brachycorythis pulchra Schltr.Platanthera pleistophylla (Rchb.f.) Schltr.
Also Known As
Ligosi
References (2)
- Hamisy, W. C., 2007, Development of Conservation Strategies for the Wild Edible Orchid in Tanzania. National Plant Genetic Resources Centre. Arusha, Tanzania. p 12
- Mapunda, L. N. D., Edible Orchids in Makete district, the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: Swedish Biodiversity Centre. CBM Master's Thesis.
