Disa zuluensis

Disa zuluensis is a terrestrial orchid that grows both a flower stem and a sterile leafy stem next to it. The pointed, overlapping leaves sheathing the flower stem decrease in size to the top, grading into the floral bracts that each subtends a flower.

The species distribution is in Zululand, the northerly grassland of KwaZulu-Natal and across the Vaal River in eastern Mpumalanga. The habitat is moist grassland in vleis and along streambanks at altitudes from 1800 m to 2400 m.

D. zuluensis is considered to be endangered in its habitat early in the twenty first century. The causes of its decline include mining, damming, grazing and invasive alien plant species (www.orchidspecies.com; www.redlist.sanbi.org).