Welcome to WOSA
Very little is known about indigenous orchids by the public who are largely unaware that there are just under 500 species of which 45 are endemic (only occur in South Africa). Very little research has been carried out regarding ecology, conservation and propagation although a number of species have become extinct and habitat destruction is progressing at an alarming rate. Up until now there has been no attempt to address these issues on a National scale and Provincial legislation and cooperation is fragmented. Only through a focused National integrated effort that engages the public and all roll players will survival of orchids be assured.
Bonatea lamprophylla
Description
Robust terrestrial up to 1m tall. Leaves 5-15 cauline with wavy margin, egg-shaped, up to 130mm long and 75mm wide. Inflorescence lax, 5-16 flowers, which are green and white.
Bonatea polypodantha
- Bonatea polypodantha by Duncan McFarlane
Description
Slender terrestrial up to 330 mm tall. Leaves 4-8, basal leaves 1-3, broadly elliptic, up to 120 mm. Cauline leaves 2-5, spear shaped and much smaller than basal leaves. Inflorescence lax, carrying 2-12 flowers, which are pale green and white. Characterised by the lower petal lobe, which is long, thread-like and curved.
Bonatea pulchella
Description
Slender terrestrial up to 320mm tall. Leaves 5-9, basal leaves in a rosette of 2-5, cauline leaves few and narrowly spear-shaped. Inflorescence lax, with 2-11 flowers, which are white and back of sepals and spur green. Median sepal erect, petals divided, lip 3-lobed from a narrow base, spur swollen towards apex, up to 70mm long.
Bonatea saundersioides
- Bonatea saundersioides by Hugh Rogers
Description
Slender terrestrial of up to 600mm tall. Leaves 5-12 cauline, elliptic and may have started to wither when flowering. Inflorescence lax, 4-41 flowers, which are green and white.
Bonatea speciosa
- Bonatea speciosa by Karsten Wodrich
Description
Robust terrestrial, up to 950mm tall. Leaves 4-19 cauline, oblong to broadly spear-shaped and up to 155mm long. Inflorescence rather dense, with up to 40 flowers, which are green and white. Previously related to Bonatea antennifera which was known as Bonatea speciosa var. antennifera, while this species was known as Bonatea speciosa var. speciosa. Both varieties have now been recognised as species in their own right. Scented at dusk and pollinated by hawkmoths.
Bonatea steudneri
Description
Robust terrestrial up to 1m tall. Leaves 7-20, cauline, elliptic to spear-shaped and up to 154mm long. Inflorescence lax, 5-35 flowers, green and white in colour.
Brachycorythis conica subsp. transvaalensis
- Brachycorythis conica ssp. Transvaalensis by Andrew Hankey
Description
Slender to fairly robust terrestrial, growing up to 400 mm tall. Leaves cauline, numerous, densely overlapping, spear-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped, up to 60 x 20 mm. Inflorescence dense, up to 150 mm long and carrying 30-40 flowers, which are mauve to pink and white, lip mauve with purple spots. Flowers extremely variable from plant to plant. Spur curving, up to 8 mm long. Has recently been given the common name: the Albertina Sisulu Orchid.
Brachycorythis pubescens
- Bracycorythis pubescens by Lourens Grobler
Description
Moderately robust terrestrial which grows up to 600 mm tall. Numerous leaves are cauline and densely overlapping, hairy, spear-shaped and up to 60 x 20 mm. Inflorescence dense and hairy, up to 320 mm long. 45-110 flowers are hairy on the outside, light to deep pink suffused with Brownish green, callus yellow spotted with red. Sepals and petals form a hood over the column. Sepals up to 7 x 4 mm, petals up to 6 x 3 mm. Spur absent. Similar to Brachycorythis ovata ssp. ovata.
Bulbophyllum sandersonii
- Bulbophyllum sandersonii by Lourens Grobler
Description
Slender to fairly robust epiphyte or lithophyte, with long rhizomes 2-3mm in diameter between pseudobulbs Pseudobulbs ovoid to narrowly conical, 30-50mm apart. Two leaves per pseudobulb, leathery to almost fleshy, strap-shaped to elliptic-oblong. Inflorescence lateral, erect about 100-150mm tall. Flowers borne in two rows, dull violet or green with purplish dots.
Orchids in Gauteng
- Introduction
- Species List
- Species Flowering Months
- Red List Endangered
- Orange List Threatened
- Credits
Wild Orchids of Southern Africa - Is a working group with the aim of promoting knowledge of the indigenous orchids and protecting their habitats by actively engaging with landowners, developers and Nature Conservation officials.
Although many people assume that orchids occur only in tropical areas, South Africa boasts an impressive diversity of orchids. Approximately 56 species of orchid occur within Gauteng's borders alone - some are extremely common, whereas others have only been recorded a handful of times or only once. The typical habitat of Gauteng's orchids is Bankenveld grassland - a biome that has suffered from uncontrolled development, pollution and public ignorance of its ecological importance. In terms of diversity, Bankenveld grassland is the second most diverse biome in the country after the Cape Floristic Region and as such deserves to be protected and appreciated.
The orchids that occur in Gauteng are terrestrial deciduous orchids which means that they grow in a similar manner to bulbs - they are dormant during the dry, cold time of the year and only emerge from the ground when Spring arrives.
Orchids in KwaZulu-Natal
- Introduction
- Species List
- Species Flowering Months
- Red List Endangered
- Orange List Threatened
- Credits
The province of KwaZulu Natal falls within the summer rainfall region of South Africa with a wide range of topography, ranging from the top of Drakensberg at over 3000 meters above sea level down to the sub-tropical coastal belt. This has created a wide range of habitats ranging from Alpine grass and scrub down to grassland, open savannah and finally subtropical coastal forest. As a result a correspondingly wide range of orchid flora can be encountered.
The grassland areas of the KZN interior are home to many terrestrial orchids, which survive as subterranean bulbs, dormant in winter and growing and flowering in the summer season.
The river valleys and coastal belt are home to bush and forest, which support a range of epiphytic (tree-dwelling) or lithophytic (growing on rocks) orchids and orchids which inhabit the forest floors. All in all, a total of about 180 terrestrial and 44 epiphytic orchid species have been recorded for the Province (Johnson & Bytebier, 2015).
KZN is fortunate to have a number of fairly large conservation areas. The most notable are the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, the Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park is about 2,428 km2 in extent and stretches some 150 km along the eastern border with Lesotho. The Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park consists of 960 km² of hilly bushveld located in central KwaZulu-Natal. This reserve is well known for its efforts in rhino conservation, but also contains a rich floral heritage. The 3320 km2 iSimangaliso Wetland Park spans 280 km of coastline, from the Mozambican border in the north to the Lake St. Lucia estuary in the south. It consists of major lake and estuarine systems, most of South Africa’s remaining swamp forests and some of the world’s highest vegetated coastal dunes. In this pristine environment, tropical orchid species found more commonly north of our borders occur. KZN also boasts a number of smaller provincial, municipal and private conservation areas.
Unfortunately, outside of the formal conservation areas, the environment has suffered the same ravages as elsewhere in South Africa, viz. bad farming practices, habitat destruction, agriculture and deforestation, irresponsible development etc.
WOSA was established at the World Orchid Conference in Sandton in 2014 and is leading a National Initiative to conserve and propagate indigenous orchids. In most cases our terrestrial orchids cannot be translocated successfully and we have embarked upon research projects, hopefully to overcome these hurdles.
This website clearly describes our modus operandi in mobilising support in establishing WOSA Chapters countrywide to conserve orchids in their natural habitats, and work towards creating reserves, protected areas and other safe havens in which to translocate plants.
For more information regarding the preservation of South Africa's wild Orchids or if you would like to get involved please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or complete this short form Contact Us and we will contact you.
