e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1711450639050_6221843973928018" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - Ner<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1711450639050_3846715811576005" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>vilia
SANBI Flora Keys Logo
Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Orchidaceae - Epidendroideae - Nervilieae - Nervilia Comm. ex Gaudich.

Description:

  • Terrestrial herbs, with ovoid tubers
  • Leaf solitary, ovate, reniform or orbicular, developed after flowers
  • Inflorescence 1- to several-flowered; flowers resupinate or erect, brown, yellow or reddish green; lip white and often with red markings
  • Sepals subequal, free, erect or rarely spreading
  • Petals similar to sepals but often broader and shorter
  • Lip entire or 3-lobed with side lobes enfolding gynostemium, unspurred, disc variously crested, lamellate
  • Gynostemium elongate; anther operculate, incumbent; pollinia 2, sectile
  • Capsule ellipsoid, in our species mostly beaked
  • x = 9 (high polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Nervilia Comm. ex Gaudich.
    • Gaudichaud in Freycinet: 421 (1829)
    • Schelpe: 56 (1966)
    • Rolfe: 83 (1912) as Pogonia
    • Phillips: 239 (1951) as Pogonia
    • Stewart et al.: 213 (1982)
    • Pettersson: 1 (1991)
    • Linder & Kurzweil: 354 (1999)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species ± 60, Africa, Asia and Australia
  • Southern Africa: Species 5, in northeastern parts, Northern Province, North-West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal

References:

  • FREYCINET, L. DE. 1826-1830. Voyage autour du monde. Bertrand, Paris
  • LINDER, H.P. & KURZWEIL, H. 1999. Orchids of southern Africa. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam
  • PETTERSSON, B. 1991. The genus Nervilia (Orchidaceae) in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Orchid Monographs 5
  • PHILLIPS, E.P. 1951. The genera of South African flowering plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 25
  • ROLFE, R.A. 1912. Order CXXXI. Orchideae. Flora capensis 5,3
  • SCHELPE, E.A. 1966. An introduction to the South African Orchids. Purnell & Sons, Cape Town, Johannesburg
  • STEWART, J., LINDER, H.P., SCHELPE, E.A. & HALL, A.V. 1982. Wild orchids of southern Africa. Macmillan, Johannesburg

Copyright of the content hosted by this website remains with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), unless stated otherwise.
Material from this site may be used in other media, provided that SANBI is acknowledged by the name South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) or refer to the 'How to cite this resource' paragraph on the Home page.
Liability disclaimer: Visitors use this site at their own risk and SANBI is not liable for any of the consequences resulting therefrom.