Orchids by Genera

The South African Indigenous Orchids are listed below in alphabetical order starting with the genus and then following on with the species in alphabetical order under each genus. If you are looking for a specific genus use the list on the left and click on the genus.  That will give you all species with that genus. Click on the little arrow to the left of the genus name in the list and a drop down box will give you all the species belonging to that genus. Here you can click on a specific species and get the information for that species only.

This section of the website is still under development. Please check back often for updates. We are still looking for photographs of some 200 of the 500 species and if you find a species description without a photograph and would like to contribute a specific photo for that species please contact us. All photographs are properly credited.

 

Acampe

The genus Acampe contains about 10 species, one of which (Acampe pachyglossa) is found in Africa and the islands of the Indian Ocean. The other nine species are found in South-east Asia. The genus name Acampe is derived from the Greek word akampes (meaning rigid) probably referring to the brittle, fleshy flowers.

  • Acampe pachyglossa by Peter Ashton

Acrolophia

Acrolophia is a genus of seven species that are endemic to South Africa and found mainly in the Western Cape floral region with only Acrolophia cochlearis extending into KwaZulu Natal.  Plants are terrestrial with short rhizomes and thick fleshy roots. Leaves are strap shaped and borne in a fan shape with inflorescences arising from the tips of maturing growths. They have no pseudobulbs and are dependent on some form of moisture during the dry winter period in the Western and Eastern Cape. Acrolophia is closely related to Eulophia

  • Acrolophia capensis by Karsten Wodrich

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Aerangis

Aerangis is a genus consisting of 57 species of which all except one are endemic to Africa. One species is found in Sri-Lanka. Four species are found in South Africa. The genus is characterised by strap shaped leaves borne in two rows. Leaves unequally bilobed and often widening towards the tip. A noticeable net-like venation is apparent on the leaves, Flowers are white and star-shaped with an elongated nectar bearing spur.

  • Aeranges verdickii by Lourens Grobler

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Angraecum

Angraecum is a large family of 222 species which are largely endemic to Africa and the Mascarene Islands. There is one exception with one species found in Sri-Lanka. Madagascar has the largest contingent of species numbering a total of 138. Only six species are found in South Africa. The epiphytic genus is monopodial with some species with short stems, others with long stems. The long stemmed species tend to have branched stems. The leaves are borne in two rows are unequally bilobed at the tip. The flowering stem grows out below the leaves and may be single to multi-flowered. The flowers vary in size and may be white or cream coloured - some with a combination of both. The lip is distinctly concave with a two-lobed rostellum.

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Bonatea

The genus Bonatea comprises of 13 species that are mostly endemic to Africa with one exception that is found in the Arabian Peninsula. 10 species are found in South Africa. Plants have soft tuberous root systems or ovoid tuberoids. The terminal inflorescence with green and white flowers is borne on leafy stem (with some species leaves brown at flowering time). Flowers are very distinct and the genus is related to Habenaria. Most species are scented at night and are most likely pollinated by moths.

  • Bonatea polypodantha by Duncan McFarlane

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Brachycorythis

Seven species of Brachycorythis are found in South Africa within the genus of 36 species. 24 of these species are found in Africa and 12 in Asia. One of the South African endemic species, the Albertina Sisulu Orchid or Brachycorythis conica ssp. transvaalensis is currently listed as critically endangered and consists of one viable population of around 120 individuals and a few scattered plants at other locations.

Brachycorythis is terrestrial and has a leafy shoot that bears the inflorescence at the end. Most species go dormant in the dry period and plants have fleshy elongated finger-like tubers. Flowers are generally pink or green with darker spotting or blotching on the lip reminiscent of the flowers of the European genus Dactylorhiza.

  • Brachycorythis inhambanensis by Martin Rautenbach

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Brownleea

Brownleea is a small terrestrial genus endemic to Africa with six of the total of eight species in the genus found in South Africa. The flowers are generally white to mauve in colour and resemble those in the genus Disa except that the median or dorsal sepal is fused with the petals to form a spurred hood. Except for forest dwelling species Brownleea coerulea most species are found in open grassland. 

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Corycium

Corycium is a genus endemic to southern Africa with 16 of the 18 species found exclusively in South Africa. the other two species are also found in Malawi and southern Tanzania. The species in this genus are terrestrial and the leaves are borne on a stem that terminates in a dense head of flowers. The dorsal sepal is fused to the petal and forms a hood. Flowers are generally resupinate and the lip is fused to the base of the column with an arch-like structure covering the column.

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Disa

The genus Disa is an extremely large genus comprising of 183 species. It is endemic to Africa with only one species extending into the Arabian peninsula. Most of the species can be found in the Cape floral region. Of the 183 species a total of 143 are found in South Africa and one in Swaziland. The best known and largest species of Disa is the red Disa or Disa uniflora.  The dorsal sepal is hood shaped and has a single spur of varying length  protruding from the back. Most species are terrestrial. Previously the genera Herschelianthe, Monadenia and Schizodium were considered separate to Disa but have recently been found to be so closely related to Disa that they have been included in the genus.

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Disperis

Disperis is a genus consisting of 78 species. Of these, 26 are found in South Africa. Plants are generally small and terrestrial. Flowers are very distinct. As with Corycium the dorsal sepal is fused to the petals forming a spurred hood.  The lateral sepals spread out sideways and each has a distinct spur or pouch. 

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Eulophia

The genus Eulophia is widespread throughout the tropical areas of the world ranging from south and central Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, India, China and the islands north of Australia including Thailand, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Some species are also found in Mexico and the southern parts of the United Sates. Originally the genus contained 212 species, subspecies and natural hybrids. A number of these were recently assigned to the genus Orthochilus. Currently Eulophia consists of 165 species, 10 subspecies and 2 natural hybrids. Of these 35 are found in South Africa. This a terrestrial species with the flowering stem borne next to the leaf bearing shoot. Most species have underground pseudobulbs and many go dormant during the dry, cooler winters. Some species carry their pseudubulbs above ground similar to the genus Cymbidium but with a thinner leaf texture and often very broad leaves. A few species are evergreen. The lip is three-lobed and often covered in crests, ridges or papillae. Flower colour ranges from white through cream to bright yellow, pink, brown and green or a mix of the colours including some with reddish tinges to the lip.

  • Eulophia coeloglossa by Martin Rautenbach

Credit

Martos, F., S.D. Johnson, C.I. Peter & B. Bytebier (2014). A molecular phylogeny reveals paraphyly of the large genus Eulophia (Orchidaceae): A case for the reinstatement of Orthochilus. Taxon 63(1): 9-23.

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

 

Habenaria

The genus Habenaria is a large genus consisting of 839 species and is found worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions. Of these 30 species are found in South Africa with a further 209 species found in the rest of Africa. If the species has only one or two leaves, these are pressed flat to the ground. Otherwise the leaves grow alternately up the stem. The inflorescence is terminal with mostly green to white flowers - often inconspicuous among the grasses in grassland. Dorsal sepal normally fused to the upper petal lobes with slender lower petal lobes and lip lobes. Similar in flower structure to Bonatea. Species have been known to colonise disturbed road verges. Most species have a distinct dormant period and plants have round to oval tuberoids, some species with tuberoids the size of potatoes.

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Holothrix

Two of the 46 Holothrix species are found in the Arabian peninsula while the rest are endemic to Africa. Of these 23 are found in South Africa. Plants have one or two round to egg shaped leaves pressed to the ground. The leaves are normally covered in fine hairs. The inflorescence is terminal and normally the flowering stem is also covered in hairs. The flowers are generally small. The lip is generally 3-lobed, more often with multiple lobes giving a distinct star-like look to the flowers. Flower colour ranges from greenish to white, some with striking lip markings. Plants are terrestrial or lithophytic and have a definite dormant period - normally during the dry season.  

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Satyrium

The flowers of Satyrium are distinctly recognisable in that the they are non-resupinate and the hood shaped lip has two distinct spurs. 41 of the 91 species are found in South Africa. It is a predominantly African genus with only three species found in Asia. Terrestrial plant with most species bearing a terminal inflorescence. Some species bear a sterile shoot next to the flowering stem. The replacement tuber develops at the base of the sterile shoot. It is this tuber that will bear the flowering stem in the next growing season while again producing a sterile shoot beside it. Other species simply develop one to numerous replacement tubers next to the flowering stem on stolons or closely connected to the tuber with the flowering stem. It is for this reason that many of the Satyriums are not easy to cultivate over an extended period of time. The risk of loosing the replacement tubers to rotting is high and if it is lost the plant cannot perpetuate itself ultimately succumbs. 

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Schizochilus

A genus of 11 species exclusively found in montane and sub-alpine grassland in southern and south-central Africa. Eight of these species are found in South Africa. Leaves are linear and often clustered at the base. Flower stems are pendulous with one to many mall, yellow, white to pink flowers. The lip is spurred with three lobes. Species are terrestrial and often found in seepage areas and are sometimes in great abundance in small areas - to the extent that the flowers tinge the complete area they grow in in the respective colour when in flower. 

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Ansellia

The genus Ansellia has only one species endemic to Africa. The species has erect cane like stems up to 1m tall with roots forming a basket around the base of the plant. May of the roots face upwards and these catch leaves an other falling debris that then serves as fertiliser as it decomposes. The leaves are alternate at the top half of the stem. After a few growing seasons these turn brown with age and fall off the stem. Flowers are large and numerous on branched flowering stems that predominantly grow from the tip of the cane. Occasionally on very vigorous plants inflorescences emerge from the side nodes on the stem. 

  • Ansellia africana by Lourens Grobler

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Bartholina

This genus consists of two species found in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape and southern Namibia. It is a terrestrial species with a solitary, hairy leaf. A single flower is borne on the tip of a hairy flower stem. Flowers generally large and seem to be related to the genus Holothrix. These two species must be classified as some of the more spectacular of the South African Orchids.

  • burmanniana

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Bolusiella

This genus comprises of four species that are restricted to Africa with only one species found in South Africa. It is a very small monopodial epiphyte with almost succulent like leaves. Flowering stems grow out below the leaves with numerous white flowers mostly obscured by large bracts.

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Bulbophyllum

Bulbophyllum is an extremely large genus with an estimated 1877 species. Of these 291 occur in Africa with 4 represented in South Africa. Predominantly epiphtyic, some species lithophytic. Species are sympodial with branching, creeping rhizomes bearing spherical to conical pseudobulbs with one or two terminal leaves. Plants vegetatively propagate, sometimes forming large mats. The inflorescence grows from the base of the pseudobulb and carries one to many flowers. Flowers are often borne opposite each other on a stalk which is sometimes flattened in a shape of a blade. Flowers are normally small, brownish-red in colour with the lateral sepals often fused to form a chin-like extension.  

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.  

Calanthe

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Centrostigma

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Ceratandra

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  • bicolor

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Cheirostylis

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Cyrtorchis

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Dracomonticola

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Evotella

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Huttonaea

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Jumellea

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Liparis

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Margelliantha

Margelliantha is an African endemic genus with six species. One of these is found in South Africa. The plants are monopodial in growth habit with leathery, strap shaped leaves borne opposite each other on a short stem. The tip of the leaves is unequally bilobed. Up to 12 white, yellowish to pale green flowers are borne on a short flowering stem originating from the stem at the base of the leaves. Flowers are bell shaped with a spherical or pouch shaped spur 

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Microcoelia

Microceolia is a genus consisting of 31 species endemic to Africa. All species are monopodial and leafless with an extensive branching root system with long roots resembling an untidy birds nest. The roots grow into open clumps that allow a maximum amount of light to reach all of the roots. The roots contain the chlorophyll that aids in photosynthesis. Plants have a stem from which very small, green or white tinged flowers are borne on a flowering stem.

  • Microcoelia exilis by Lourens Grobler

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Mystacidium

Mystacisidum is a genus endemic to Africa and contains ten species, seven of which are found in South Africa. Plants are epiphytic and monopodial with strap-shaped leaves opposite each other in a row. Stems are generally short. an extensive root system anchors the plants to the host tree or plant. Pendant flowering stems with up to 13 white or greenish flowers are borne from amongst or below the leaves. Sepals are similar in size and shape while the petals are generally smaller than the sepals. A long, tapering spur is filled with nectar at the end and flowers are scented from dusk to dawn and generally pollinated by moths. 

  • Mystacidium capense by Lourens Grobler

Credit

Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.

Neobolusia

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Nervilia

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Oberonia

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Oeceoclades

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Orthochilus

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Pachites

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Platycoryne

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Pterygodium

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Rangaeris

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Rhipidoglossum

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Stenoglottis

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  • longifolia

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Tridactyle

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Vanilla

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Ypsilopus

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Zeuxine

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Corymborkis

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