Disa zombica N.E.Br.

A terrestrial herb 2.5–5.5 dm. high, glabrous except for the roots.. Tubers elongate-ellipsoid or elongate-ovoid, 2–6 cm. long, 1–2 cm. in diameter, ± densely but shortly tomentose.. Roots slender, flexuous, pubescent.. Sterile stems to 11 cm. long, with several overlapping red-spotted sheaths in the lower part and 1–3 leaves at the apex; leaves narrowly lanceolate, acute, 12–25 cm. long, 1–2 cm. broad.. Flowering stems erect, rather stout, almost entirely covered by sheathing leaves, terete; leaves 9–13, the lowermost short, sheath-like, red-spotted, the remainder adpressed to the stem, lanceolate, acute, the largest 5–12 cm. long, 1–2 cm. broad, the uppermost similar to the bracts.. Inflorescence 9–16 cm. long, 4–6 cm. in diameter, densely 12–30-flowered.. Bracts leafy, lanceolate, acuminate, 2.5–6 cm. long, mostly longer than the flowers.. Flowers suberect, greenish-yellow or flesh-coloured, spotted or streaked with purple, the petals and lip ± magenta, malodorous; pedicel with ovary straight, 1.5–2 cm. long.. Dorsal sepal erect, with a narrower lower part 6–10 mm. long and a broadly ovate or elliptical blade which is spurred in the middle, altogether 14–18 mm. long, the blade ± 7 mm. broad, the spur pendent, 5–7 mm. long, slightly swollen in the distal part; laterals spreading upwards, obliquely oblong, obtuse or rounded, ± the same length as the dorsal, 5–7 mm. broad.. Petals erect, spathulate or oblanceolate with a broad ear-like basal part ± 5 mm. long and 4 mm. broad, total length 14–18 mm., 1.5–3.5 mm. broad towards the apex.. Lip pendulous, linear, 13–16 mm. long, 1–2 mm. broad.. Anther erect, 6 mm. high, shortly stalked.. Stigma almost orbicular, 3 mm. in diameter.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mountain grassland between 1,300-2,350 m above sea level.