Aerangis gracillima (Kraenzl.) J.C.Arends & J.Stewart, Lindleyana 4: 24 (1989).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Angraecum gracillimum Kraenzl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 17: 59 (1893).
Barombia gracillima (Kraenzl.) Schltr., Orchideen: 600 (1914).
Description:
Stems short, to 8 cm long; roots 3 mm in diameter. Leaves several, distichous, 11-24 x 2.5-6 cm, narrowly obovate, unequally bilobed at apex, leathery, dull green. Inflorescences pendent, to 75 cm long, 7- to 12-flowered; rachis zigzag. Flowers white, the tip and the tips of the sepals and petals pate pinkish-brown; spur and ovary pate brown. Pedicel and ovary S-shaped, 5-6 cm long. Sepals and petals spreading, or the petals slightly reflexed, narrowly elliptic- obovate, acuminate, with the margins reflexed in the basal half; dorsal sepal 35-50 x 4-6 mm; lateral sepals 40-45 x 3-5 mm. Petals 35-45 x 3-4 mm. Lip 35-45 x 4-6 mm; spur 18-25 cm long, straight or slightly incurved, slender but swollen at apex. Column 30-37 mm lang. Capsule cylindrical, 10-12 cm long.
Habitat:
In shady rainforests and in old cocoa plantations at elevations of 470 to 800 meters.
Cultivation:
With the long inflorescence, it is likely to be better mounted and presumably requires warm to intermediate temperatures, in a shaded position, with high humidity.
Distribution:
Cameroon to Gabon
References:
Encylopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 as Barombia gracillima;Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans and Campbell 2006; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 19.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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