Habenaria mossii

Habenaria mossii is a small terrestrial orchid growing annual leaves and a flower stem from its perennial tuber(s). The plant’s lifespan is from two to eight years, mostly about five. It resembles H. lithophila.

The species distribution is small, mainly in Gauteng and some easterly parts of North West. The photos shown in this Album were taken near Suikerbosrand and some near Pretoria in early autumn.

The plant’s habitat is temperate grassland at elevations between 1200 m and 1800 m. The species is threatened from habitat loss early in the twenty first century, caused by the large human population in the area and ongoing urban expansion (www.orchidspecies.com; www.redlist.sanbi.org).