Disa rungweensis

Disa rungweensis is a small terrestrial orchid, a perennial herb growing a flowering stem annually from its tuberous rootstock.

This plant is not South African, found only in limited parts of Malawi and Tanzania. The species is named for a Tanzanian town, Rungwe; the plant’s common name being Rungwe disa.

The habitat of the species is moist grassland at high altitudes among rocks, common around seeps.

The species is said to be uncommon. It is closely related to D. zimbabweensis that bears deep pinkish purple flowers on red stems with stem leaves adhering closely to it. D zimbabweensis, found mainly in Zimbabwe as the name suggests, was once regarded as a subsp. of D. rungweensis and may be sunk into it (www.orchidspecies.com; www.nyika-vwaza-trust.org).