Polystachya bifida is a species of flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae, native to south-east Nigeria and large parts of west-central tropical Africa. It was first described by John Lindley in 1862.
Distribution
Polystachya bifida is native to: - South-east Nigeria - Burundi - Cameroon - Equatorial Guinea - Gabon - Gulf of Guinea islands - Rwanda - Democratic Republic of the Congo
Conservation
- The closely related species Polystachya farinosa was assessed as "endangered" in the 2017 IUCN Red List, believed to be native only to Cameroon.
- As of February 2023, Polystachya farinosa is considered a synonym of Polystachya bifida, which has a much wider distribution, potentially altering its conservation status.
References
- Lindley, J. (1862). Original species description.
- IUCN Red List (2017). Assessment of Polystachya farinosa.