Images taken by Nicholas Wightman

Growing in open areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in rocky/stony sandy soil amongst grasses and Xerophyta sp. in undisturbed miombo woodland

Growing in rocky/stony sandy soil amongst grasses and Xerophyta sp. in undisturbed miombo woodland

Growing in rocky/stony sandy soil amongst grasses and Xerophyta sp. in undisturbed miombo woodland

Chikanda is a local Zambian foodstuff made from the dried ground tubers of a range of terrestrial orchids in the genera Disa, Habenaria, Satyrium, Brachycorythis and Platycoryne

Plants can often be found in areas prone to annual fires

Plants can often be found in areas prone to annual fires

Close up of the flower showing the green central band on each tepal

Bulb showing the fibrous neck.

Recently described by Tom McCoy in Cactus and Succulent Journal, 89(6): 276-279.

Recently described by Tom McCoy in Cactus and Succulent Journal, 89(6): 276-279.

Recently described by Tom McCoy in Cactus and Succulent Journal, 89(6): 276-279.

Mature bulbs displaying long neck

The pure white flowers open about an hour after sunset.

By the first morning, the flowers have developed a slight pink tinge.

The inflorescence sometimes opens in succession leading to a contrast of the new and old flowers.

The infructescence develops quickly after fertilization producing sometimes dozens of seeds.

Seeds are irregular in shape due to their development and can range from pea-sized to over 1cm across.

The inflorescence begins to open in the early evening and the spadix emits a carrion-like odour to attract pollinators

Fully expanded flower shedding pollen the morning after the inflorescence first opened.

Inflorescences can appear from late October through to late December.

Fully expanded leaf with ripening seedhead.

Fully expanded leaf with ripening seedhead.

Ripening berries can range in colour from orange to red and are dispersed by birds such as Bulbils.

The berries generally contain 1 to 2 seeds which are recalcitrant and germinate within several weeks from ripening.

The tubers are generally roundish to depressed globose depending on age and produce rhizomatous offsets as a means of vegetative propagation.

Growing in exposed edge of roadside verge in sandy gravelly loam soils

Growing in exposed edge of roadside verge in sandy gravelly loam soils

Growing in exposed edge of roadside verge in sandy gravelly loam soils

Growing along edge of Protea savannah grassland and miombo woodland in loam to clay loam soils

Growing along edge of Protea savannah grassland and miombo woodland in loam to clay loam soils

Growing along edge of Protea savannah grassland and miombo woodland in loam to clay loam soils

Growing along edge of Protea savannah grassland and miombo woodland in loam to clay loam soils

Growing along edge of Protea savannah grassland and miombo woodland in loam to clay loam soils

Growing amongst small to mid-sized grasses in the upper to lower slopes of perennially wet riverside dambo above Kalonde Falls

Growing amongst small to mid-sized grasses in the upper to lower slopes of perennially wet riverside dambo above Kalonde Falls

Growing amongst small to mid-sized grasses in the upper to lower slopes of perennially wet riverside dambo above Kalonde Falls

Growing in rocky escarpment Brachystegia woodland in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing in rocky escarpment Brachystegia woodland in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing in rocky escarpment Brachystegia woodland in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing on flood susceptible river bank along the Kalungwishi R. in medium to light shade in clayish loam soil.

Growing on flood susceptible river bank along the Kalungwishi R. in medium to light shade in clayish loam soil.

Growing on flood susceptible river bank along the Kalungwishi R. in medium to light shade in clayish loam soil.

Growing on flood susceptible river bank along the Kalungwishi R. in medium to light shade in clayish loam soil.

Growing in open areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in small open/deciduous patches within Itigi thicket in sandy loam soil

Growing in small open/deciduous patches within Itigi thicket in sandy loam soil

Growing in small open/deciduous patches within Itigi thicket in sandy loam soil

Growing in small open/deciduous patches within Itigi thicket in sandy loam soil

Growing in open miombo woodland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open miombo woodland in sandy loam soils

Growing in disturbed miombo woodland in sandy loam soils

Growing in disturbed miombo woodland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open, hot areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open, hot areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open, hot areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Growing in open, hot areas of savannah grassland in sandy loam soils

Suspected species harvested for the Chikanda trade

Suspected species harvested for the Chikanda trade

Suspected species harvested for the Chikanda trade

Suspected species harvested for the Chikanda trade

Suspected species harvested for the Chikanda trade

Growing in well drained section of perennially wet dambo grassland in sandy to sandy loam soil

Growing in well drained section of perennially wet dambo grassland in sandy to sandy loam soil

Growing in well drained section of perennially wet dambo grassland in sandy to sandy loam soil

Growing by a rocky outcrop in perennially wet dambo grassland in thin sections of sandy soil over rock or between cracks, oftern inundated in up to 2.5 cm of water.

Growing by a rocky outcrop in perennially wet dambo grassland in thin sections of sandy soil over rock or between cracks, oftern inundated in up to 2.5 cm of water.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations may be threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations may be threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations may be threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations threatened by overharvesting.

Plants collected off trees cleared along transmission line following D39 road developments and flowered at Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi.

Plants collected off trees cleared along transmission line following D39 road developments and flowered at Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi.

Plants collected off trees cleared along transmission line following D39 road developments and flowered at Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi.

Large clumps growing on rocks and tree trunks with Cyrtorchis praetermissa, Cyrtorchis crassiflora, Bulbophyllum expallidum, Tridactyle sp. and Polystachya sp.

Large clumps growing on rocks and tree trunks with Cyrtorchis praetermissa, Cyrtorchis crassiflora, Bulbophyllum expallidum, Tridactyle sp. and Polystachya sp.

Large clumps growing on rocks and tree trunks with Cyrtorchis praetermissa, Cyrtorchis crassiflora, Bulbophyllum expallidum, Tridactyle sp. and Polystachya sp.

Growing in moss in fork of Brachystegia boehmii trunk in rocky miombo woodland near Kalonde Falls

Growing in moss in fork of Brachystegia boehmii trunk in rocky miombo woodland near Kalonde Falls

Growing in moss in fork of Brachystegia boehmii trunk in rocky miombo woodland near Kalonde Falls

Growing along streamside at the margins of riverine forest in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing along streamside at the margins of riverine forest in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing along streamside at the margins of riverine forest in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing along streamside at the margins of riverine forest in sandy to sandy loam soils

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations may be threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations may be threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations may be threatened by overharvesting.

Tubers of this species are possibly used in the preparation of a local Zambian dish called Chikanda with wild populations may be threatened by overharvesting.

The thin pods split along a the edge to release the narrow seeds, each with a tuft of hair to aid dispersion

The tubers are roundish to discoid in shape usually with a projection from the centre where the annual stems emerge.

Tubers appear to be stoloniferous in habit

The fleshy roots emerge from a short rhizome

Clumped habit

Single habit

Clumped habit

Plant found growing in riverine habitat

Plant found growing in riverine habitat

Close up of the dense inflorescence

Plant with immature seedpods found growing just above a drainage basin of the Munali Hills

Plant with immature seedpods found growing just above a drainage basin of the Munali Hills

The indistinct rhizome with numerous stout tuberous roots

The terminal inflorescences typically appear towards the middle of the rains lasting into the early dry season

The terminal inflorescences typically appear towards the middle of the rains lasting into the early dry season

The terminal inflorescences typically appear towards the middle of the rains lasting into the early dry season

Unripe four lobed fruits.

Growing along the margins of Itigi thicket and tall grass open munga woodland in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing along the margins of Itigi thicket and tall grass open munga woodland in sandy to sandy loam soils

Growing in dense areas of Itigi thicket in sandy loam to clay loam soil

Growing in dense areas of Itigi thicket in sandy loam to clay loam soil

The vertical rhizome can reach over 30cm in length and 2.5cm wide but are brittle and easily broken

Developing rhizomes adapt to obstacles during growth and can become misshapen.

Growing in bare open patch amongst taller grasses in sandy loam soils

Growing in bare open patch amongst taller grasses in sandy loam soils

Growing in bare open patch amongst taller grasses in sandy loam soils

Growing on flood prone riverbanks along the Lukulu R. in sandy to clayish soils

Growing on flood prone riverbanks along the Lukulu R. in sandy to clayish soils

Growing on flood prone riverbanks along the Lukulu R. in sandy to clayish soils

Growing on flood prone riverbanks along the Lukulu R. in sandy to clayish soils

Growing in sandy upper bank along Lukulu River in open sparse woodland

Growing in sandy upper bank along Lukulu River in open sparse woodland

Growing in sandy upper bank along Lukulu River in open sparse woodland

Growing in disturbed miombo woodland in sandy loam soils

Growing in disturbed miombo woodland in sandy loam soils

Cultivated from material originally collected by Mike Bingham at the Mansa Research Station

Determined as Cynorkis hanningtonii

Determined as Cynorkis hanningtonii