DISA

genus of orchids, family Orchidaceae, containing as many as 200 species of plants. They grow in marshes and grasslands in southeastern Africa, Madagascar, and on nearby islands. Most species bear flowers ranging in colour from white to purple and in diameter from about 0.5 to 10 centimetres (about 0.2 to 4 inches). The upper sepal of each flower usually has a spur and stands upright, forming a hood. Red disa (Disa uniflora), a South African species, bears pink and scarlet flowers.