Eulophia arenicola
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Flower
Degraded miombo woodland
Mushindamo District
Nov 2025
Photo: Nick Wightman
Flower
Degraded miombo woodland
Mushindamo District
Nov 2025
Photo: Nick Wightman
Tubers
Degraded miombo woodland
Mushindamo District
Nov 2025
Photo: Nick Wightman
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Lissochilus arenicola (Schltr.) Szlach. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Slender terrestrial herb 10–40 cm tall, flowering when leafless. Perennating organs subterranean, tuberous, c. 12 mm high, 15 mm long, onion-shaped, forming a short chain. Leaves several, 4–5 × 1 cm, ligulate. Inflorescence rather laxly up to about 12-flowered; scape with 3 scarious bracts, the lowest 2 sheathing. Pedicel and ovary 10 mm long. Bracts scarious, 3–7 mm long. Sepals green, flushed with purple; petals yellow-green, purple-veined inside; lip mainly purple with 2 yellow calli, spur yellow-green, purple-tipped. Sepals 5–6.5 × 1.5–3 mm, oblanceolate, apiculate, the dorsal erect, the laterals spreading or reflexed. Petals 4.6–7 × 3.6–4.3 mm, broadly ovate or suborbicular, apiculate. Lip 7–8.3 mm long, 3-lobed, with 2 prominent yellow calli in the throat; side lobes erect, joined to the column for part of their length; mid-lobe 3.7–4.5 × 3.7–4.2 mm, bent down at the junction of the lobes; spur 1.5–3 mm long, conical, horizontal. |
| Type location: |
Angola |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | arenicola: sand dwelling |
| Habitat: | |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | Jul - Nov |
| Worldwide distribution: | Angola, Botswana, DRC, Zambia and Malawi |
| FZ divisions: | N |
| Growth form(s): | Terrestrial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 323. Geerinck, D. (1992). Orchidaceae (seconde partie) Flore d'Afrique Centrale Jardin botanique national de Belgique Pages 650 - 651. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 482 - 483. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 341. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 119. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 127. Summerhayes, V.S. (1953). African orchids XXI Kew Bulletin 8(1) Page 156. Vollesen, K. & Merrett, L. (2019). Field Guide to the (wetter) Zambian Miombo Woodland. Part 1 (Ferns & Monocots) GVPedia Communications Page 169. (Includes a picture). Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 168 - 169. (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Eulophia arenicola:
Our websites:
Flora of the DRC: Eulophia arenicolaFlora of Malawi: Eulophia arenicola
Flora of Zambia: Eulophia arenicola
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Eulophia arenicolaAfrican Plant Database: Eulophia arenicola
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Eulophia arenicola
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Eulophia arenicola
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Eulophia arenicola
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Eulophia arenicola
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Eulophia arenicola
JSTOR Plant Science: Eulophia arenicola
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Eulophia arenicola
Plants of the World Online: Eulophia arenicola
Tropicos: Eulophia arenicola
Wikipedia: Eulophia arenicola