Disa patula var. transvaalensis

Disa patula var. transvaalensis is a perennial, a terrestrial herb that grows annually from a tuberous rootstock. The species was called D. gerrardii and D. nervosa at different times in its botanically recorded history.

The erect flower stalk is covered in sword-shaped, stem-clasping leaves that each other and reduce in size upwards along the stem, as well as grading into the bracts further up among the flowers. The stalk may stand 60 cm tall.

The distribution of the species is Limpopo, Mpumalanga and southwards to the Eastern Cape. The plant also grows in Zimbabwe and eSwatini (Swaziland).

The habitat is exposed slopes in open grassland. The habitat population of the variety is considered of least concern early in the twenty first century (Germishuizen and Fabian, 1982; iNaturalist; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw; http://redlist.sanbi.org).