Angraecum cultriforme - Angraecum Encyclopedia

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ANGRÆCORUM

Angraecum cultriforme

Angraecum cultriforme
Photo courtesy Patrick Denissen www.pnporchids.be

Angraecum cultriforme
Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Magnoliophyta
Class	Liliopsida
Order	Asparagales
Family	Orchidaceae
Subfamily	Vandoïdeae Endlicher
Tribe	Vandaeae Lindley
Subtribe	Angraecinae Summerhayes
Alliance	Angraecum
Genus	Angraecum
Genus Abreviation	Angcm
Common Name
Section
Species	Angraecum cultriforme
Authority	Summerhayes
Source	Summerh. in Kew Bull. 13: 272 (1958). - Morris, Epiphyt. Orch. Malawi: 87 (1970). - Grosvenor in Excelsa 6: 78 (1976). - Williamson, Orch. S. Centr. Africa: 180 (1977). - Ball, South. African Epiphyt. Orch.: 56 (1978). - Stewart et al., Wild Orch. South. Africa: 257 (1982). - Cribb in F.T.E.A., Orchidaceae: 498 (1989). - la Croix et al., Orch. Malawi: 239 (1991). - Stewart, Orch. Kenya: 18 (1996). Type from Tanzania.
Synonyms
Etymology
Distribution	Malawi S: Mulanje Distr., Lichenya Forest Reserve, 550 m, fl. 10.i.1986, la Croix & Spurrier 779 (K). Mozambique MS: Sofala Prov., Inhansato, 50 m, fl. 16.iii.1956, Gomes e Sousa 4299 (K). Zambia W: Nchunga Falls, fl. 26.xii.1935, R.A.F. Brenan 5 (K). Zimbabwe E: Mutasa Distr., Honde Valley, xii.1961, Plowes in Ball 945 (SRGH).
Range	Kenya; South Africa; Tanzania
Altitude	50-700 m.
Habitat	Riverine forest and thicket, hanging in tangles from small branches, usually low down on host plant
Life Form	Epiphytic
Flowers	9-21 × 2.3-3.8 mm - variable see notes
Flowering time	RSA: Oct-Apr - Other Africa:
Fragrance

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Drawing by I. la Croix

Description

Pendent epiphytic herb; stem elongated, sometimes branched, up to c. 20 cm long.Roots 1-2 mm in diameter, borne along the stem opposite leaves.Leaves several, distichous, twisted at the base so as to lie in one plane, 3-6 × 0.5-0.9 cm, ligulate, falcate, unequally and acutely 2-lobed at the apex, the longer lobe to 7 mm long, the lobes often slightly divergent, the leaves olive-green often tinged reddish or orange.Inflorescences borne along the stem, opposite leaves, arising at same place in successive years, 1-2-flowered, the second bud usually aborting.Flowers orange-straw coloured.Peduncle 15-25 mm long; pedicel c. 7 mm long; ovary 5 mm long, forming a right angle with the pedicel.Bracts c. 4 mm long.Sepals 9-21 × 2.3-3.8 mm, lanceolate, acute; petals similar but slightly shorter.Lip 8-15 × 3.3-6 mm, boat-shaped, acuminate; spur 13-26 mm long, somewhat swollen in last 7 mm.Flowers often non-resupinate, with the spur lying parallel to the dorsal sepal.Column 1.3-2 mm long.

Notes

This species is variable in size of flower; those of Malawi plants are at the bottom end of the size range, but the type specimen is also rather small-flowered.For a discussion of the relationship between Angraecum cultriforme, Angraecum stolzii and Angraecum umbrosum, see last species.

Links

FZ volume:11 part:2 (1998) Orchidaceae by I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb

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