Disa ornithantha Schltr.

A terrestrial herb 2–5.5 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots.. Tubers ellipsoid or ovoid, 1.5–2.5 cm. long, 7–12 mm. in diameter, densely tomentose.. Roots slender, flexuous, pubescent.. Sterile stems to 6 cm. long, with several overlapping spotted sheaths in the lower part and 1–3 leaves at the apex; leaves linear, acute, 15–18 cm. long, 4–9 mm. broad.. Flowering stems erect, rather stout, almost entirely covered by ± adpressed sheathing leaves, terete; leaves 10–14, the lowermost short, sheath-like, red-spotted, the remainder lanceolate, mostly acute, the largest 2.5–6 cm. long, 1–1.5 cm. broad, the uppermost more acuminate, similar to the bracts.. Inflorescence up to 10 cm. long, 4–5.5 cm. in diameter, rather closely 1–6-flowered.. Bracts leafy, lanceolate, long-acuminate, 2.5–6.5 cm. long, often as long as or longer than the flowers.. Flowers suberect, orange or scarlet, the dorsal sepal with darker spots; pedicel with ovary 2–3 cm. long, the pedicel very short.. Dorsal sepal erect, with a much narrower lower part ± 1 cm. long and an almost orbicular or very broadly ovate blade which is spurred in the middle, altogether 1.5–2.8 cm. long, the blade 1–1.5 cm. broad, the spur pendent, ± 1 cm. long, cylindrical with a slightly swollen apex; laterals spreading upwards, obliquely oblong, obtuse, 1.5–2.5 cm. long, 7–12 mm. broad.. Petals erect, the lower part very obliquely ovate, slightly cordate at the base, equalling or longer than the narrow part (claw) of the dorsal sepal, 6–9 mm. broad, the upper part drawn out into a narrow twisted or bent appendage, the total length of petal 2–2.5 cm.. Lip pendulous, narrowly linear, ±1.5 cm. long and 1 mm. broad.. Anther erect, 6–8 mm. tall, shortly stalked.. Stigma orbicular or elliptical, 4–7 mm. in diameter.