Disa saxicola Schltr.

A terrestrial herb 1–4 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots.. Tubers almost spherical to elongated-cylindrical or fusiform, 1–6 cm. long, 5–12 mm. in diameter, ± densely tomentose.. Roots very slender, fiexuous, pubescent.. Stems ± erect, slender, leafy along their entire length.. Leaves 5–10, the lowest 1–3 tight, sheath-like, red-spotted, the next 3–5 often close together, spreading or recurved, linear or lanceolate-linear, acute, the largest 6–17 cm. long, 3–14 mm. broad, the sheaths often red-spotted or lined, the uppermost 1–3 much smaller, erect, lanceolate, acute.. Inflorescence 2–12 cm. long, 1.5–3.5 cm. in diameter, rather loosely 5–35-flowered.. Bracts leafy, lanceolate, acuminate, 7–20(–25) mm. long, the lower ones ± equalling the flowers, sometimes red-spotted.. Flowers suberect to spreading, white to rose-coloured with deeper red or purple spots; pedicel with ovary straight, 9–14 mm. long.. Dorsal sepal inclined forwards or nearly horizontal, conical or narrowly conical with a narrow spur projecting backwards from below the middle, base to apex 5–8 mm. long, and rather broader across the mouth when spread out, from base to apex of the spur 5–10 mm. long, the spur straight or decurved, narrowed gradually towards the apex; laterals spreading forwards, obliquely elliptical, often with a projecting point at the back below the apex, 4.5–6(–8) mm. long, 2.5–3.5(–4.5) mm. broad.. Petals inside the hood of the dorsal sepal, erect, adnate at their base to the column, obliquely oblong or oblong-elliptical, rounded or shortly toothed at the apex, 2.5–4.5 mm. long, 1.5–2.5 mm. broad.. Lip projecting forwards, oblanceolate-linear or oblanceolate, rounded at apex, 3–4 mm. long, ± 1 mm. broad.. Column short, erect; anther terminal, ± refiexed, 1–2 mm. long, canals short; stigma in front of the anther, inclined, slightly over 1 mm. in diameter.