Malaxis weberbaueriana (Kraenzl.) Summerh.

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers brown or pink.

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix and P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:1. 1995

Morphology General Habit

Terrestrial herb up to 35 cm tall; rhizome creeping, swollen to form cigar-shaped tubers below the erect stems.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually 3, up to 6 × 3 cm, ovate, ribbed, thin-textured.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence up to 17 cm long, laxly several- to many-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, maroon-purple, occasionally yellow-green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary

Pedicel and ovary 3–3.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts 1.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Dorsal sepal 2–3.3 × 1.5–1.7 mm, ovate, obtuse; lateral sepals slightly smaller, oblique, the apex more rounded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 2–3 × 0.3–0.6 mm, linear-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum

Lip c. 2 × 2 mm, suborbicular to quadrate, with 2 lunate, pubescent calli towards the sides.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column

Column 0.6–1 mm long.

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit

A small to medium-sized terrestrial plant reaching 25 cm. tall, often growing in large groups; rhizome creeping, slender.

Morphology Stem

Secondary stems erect, 2.5–8 cm. tall, leafy near apex, 3–5-leaved.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves spreading, thin-textured, ovate or elliptic-ovate, subacute or obtuse, up to 5.5 cm. long and 3 cm. broad, shortly petiolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence erect, laxly many-flowered, up to 17 cm. long; bracts ovate, acuminate, 3–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, flat, purple or less commonly green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Dorsal sepal ovate, obtuse, 2.3–3.3 cm. long, 1.7 cm. broad; lateral sepals obliquely ovate, obtuse, 2–3 mm. long, 1.6 mm. broad, shortly united at base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals obliquely linear-lanceolate, rounded, 2.2–3 mm. long, 0.6 mm. broad.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum

Lip subcircular to subquadrate, 2 mm. long and broad, bearing 2 lateral lunate pubescent calli.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column

Column fleshy, 0.6–1 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 61/11, p. 287.

Habitat

In deciduous woodland, forest and cypress plantations; 900–2100 m.

Distribution

K5 T4 T7

Hermans, J., Verlynde, S., Cribb, P. et al. Malaxideae (Orchidaceae) in Madagascar, the Mascarenes, Seychelles and Comoro Islands. Kew Bull 75, 1 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-019-9851-0

Morphology General Habit

Very small to small terrestrial or epiphytic plant up to 12 cm, on a tufted to creeping rhizome roots wiry, villous.

Vegetative Multiplication Pseudobulbs

Pseudobulbs swollen at the base, then cauliform, thin, 4 8 cm נ2 5 mm, partly covered by 2 3 thin sheaths with 3 4 apical leaves, one often considerably smaller.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves ovate, attenuate at base and tip, narrowed into a short petiole, thin, with prominent veins, pale to dark green, 3 7.5 נ2 4.5 cm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence erect, thin, c. 1 2 mm in diam., up to 13 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncle about the length of the inflorescence, with several sterile bracts towards the base.

Morphology Leaves Rachis

Rachis laxly several- to many-flowered, with up to 18 flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Floral bracts lanceolate, spreading, 2.9 5.3 נ1.1 2 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers very small, erectly spreading, 3.5 4 נ3 4.1 mm including the ovary, yellowish-green to brownish-red, petals and sepals pale translucent, lip a tinted maroon-purple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary

Pedicel and ovary cylindrical, ridged, 2.6 3.1 נ0.3 0.8 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Lateral sepals ovate, oblique, 1.8 2.1 נ1 1.3 mm. Dorsal sepal ovate, obtuse to attenuate, 2.1 3.8 נ1.1 1.7 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals linear-lanceolate, 2.8 3 נ0.3 0.6 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum

Lip entire, oval to suborbicular with two elongate, somewhat pubescent swellings on each side, the base recurved and folding around the column, often surpassing the column, 1.9 2.6 נ1.8 2.8 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column

Column straight, with minute rounded wings at the apex, 0.6 0.8 נ0.3 0.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anther below the apex of the column, broadly ovate with a small lobule at the anterior margin, c. 0.4 נ0.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia orbicular, c. 0.2 נ0.2 mm.

Distribution

Cameroon, Bioko, Fernando Po, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Fairly widespread in Madagascar: Antananarivo, Antsiranana and Toamasina provinces.

Ecology

Terrestrial, evergreen forest on gneiss laterite, woodland floor. Altitude: 1200 1500 m in Madagascar, 1000 1800 m on Mainland Africa.

Conservation

Category EN: the extent of occurrence (EOO) of Malaxis weberbaueriana is estimated to be 53,111 km2 (which exceeds the limits for Vulnerable status under criterion B1) whereas its minimal area of occupancy (AOO) is estimated to be 12 km2 (which falls within the limits for Endangered status under the criterion B2). Malaxis weberbaueriana is known from three subpopulations representing three locations (sensu IUCN), this species has thus been preliminarily assessed as EN using the green listing method. In Madagascar, this species is threatened by selective logging, timber harvesting for small-scale subsistence and tavy (slash-and-burn farming), resulting in habitat reduction and habitat quality reduction.

Phenology

January and February in Madagascar. December to June in mainland Africa.

Note

Named by Kraenzlin for August Weberbauer (1871 1941) who first found the species in Cameroon and Microstylis francoisii H.Perrier for Edmond Fran篩s (1887 1950).