Disa stachyoides

Disa stachyoides is a robust tuberous perennial that reaches 10 cm to 40 cm in height. The specific name, stachyoides, informs that the plant resembles plants of the Stachys or woundwort genus, and is named after them. 

This inflorescence is a densely flowered spike, caught at a good time in its flowering cycle, some flowers (low down) gone already and others (high up) still to come. The blooming season is long, from midspring to early autumn, depending on the region. The pinkish purple flower colour is not the only option of the species, as bluish mauve ones also occur in different shades. The older flowers lower down in the spike seen here have also wilted to blue. The erect floral bracts in the middle parts of the inflorescence are nearly as long as the flowers.

The species distribution is in the east of South Africa, from the north of the Eastern Cape, the far east of the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, as well as some neighbouring countries.

The habitat is dry grassland at various altitudes in the summer rainfall region where the plants are widespread. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Pooley, 1998; Onderstall, 1984; Trauseld, 1969; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).