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Aerangis ugandensis Summerh., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1931: 390 (1931).
Description:
Stem woody, up to 6 mm diam., erect at least in the terminal leafy part, up to 20 cm long but usually much shorter, bearing greenish-white roots 3-4 mm diam. Leaves 4-12 distichous, cuneate, oblanceolate, often falcate, unequally bilobed at the apex, the longer lobe rounded or obtuse up to 8 mm long, the shorter lobe very short or absent, widest just below the apex and gradually tapering to a shortly sheathing base, dark green with scattered black dots, leathery, without a distinct midrib 5-15 x 1-2 cm. Inflorescences 1-5, arising from the axils of the lower leaves, always pendent, 7-10-flowered, up to 15 cm long; peduncle terete, up to 2 cm long, 1-2 mm diam., bearing 2-3 tubular sheaths; rhachis straight; bracts truncate, 2-3 mm long. Flowers, spreading, 5-12 mm apart, closest towards the tip of the inflorescence, white, often tinged with green; pedicel with ovary 1-2-5 cm long, green. Dorsal sepal erect, oblong-lanceolate apiculate or subacuminate, 6-12 x 3-4 mm; lateral sepals similar but often slightly reflexed. Petals reflexed, oblong- lanceolate, acute, 6-10 x 3 mm. Lip oblong, suddenly acute or cuspidate, 6-10 x 3-5 mm at the middle; spur straight, narrowly tubular, 1-2.5 cm long. Column short, terete below, slightly dilated above, 2 mm long; anther cap conical; rostellum straight, directed downwards towards the mouth of the spur; pollinia globose; stipes slightly widened in the upper half; viscidium round and flat, at right angles to the rostellum.
Habitat:
Plants grow as epiphytes in rather low-elevation evergreen forest, often near a river. They usually grow in deep shade on tree trunks among moss at 4900-6550 ft. (1500-2000 m).
Notes:
This species is now known to be quite common in very shady places in some of the rain forest areas of tropical east Africa. The elongated stems of old plants are usually curved with only the apical part upright; many of their roots are completely aerial and such plants are only lightly attached to the substratum. In the shape and size of the plant and leaves this species is very similar to Aerangis jacksonii, but the flowers are very much smaller. Summerhayes (l.c.) commented that it seems to be most closely related to the Madagascan species Aerangis hyaloides (Reichb. f.) Schltr. and to Aerangis hologlottis, although the flowers are usually larger than those of either of these two species. In addition, mature plants are also very much larger than both these species, and the flowers of Aerangis ugandensis have a more apiculate lip and a longer spur than those of Aerangis hologlottis.
Cultivation:
Read more of cultivation of Aerangis ugandensis Summerh.
Distribution:
E. Zaïre to Kenya
References:
Hamilton, R. 1988. When does it flower? 2nd ed. Robert M. Hamilton, 9211 Beckwith Road, Richmond, B. C., Canada V6X 1V7. African orchids in the wild and in cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, OR. Stewart, J. and B. Campbell. 1996. Orchids of Kenya. Timber Press, Portland, OR. Stewart, J., J. Hermans, and B. Campbell. 2006, Angraecoid Orchids. Timber Press, Portland, OR.; A Revision of the African Species of Aerangis (Orchidaceae) Kew Bulletin, Vol. 34, No. 2 (1979), pp. 239-319; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 20.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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Habitat/In situ	In culture	In culture	In culture	In culture	In culture	In culture
Photograph© João Farminhão/ Missouri Botanical Garden. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.