Diaphananthe pellucida (Lindl.) Schltr., Orchideen: 593 (1914).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Angraecum pellucidum Lindl., Edwards's Bot. Reg. 30: 2 (1844).
Listrostachys pellucida (Lindl.) Rchb.f. in W.G.Walpers, Ann. Bot. Syst. 6: 908 (1864).
Mystacidium pellucidum (Lindl.) Benth. & Hook.f., Gen. Pl. 3: 584 (1883).
Epidorchis pellucida (Lindl.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 660 (1891).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Angraecum althoffii Kraenzl., Mitt. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. 2: 160 (1889).
Angraecum pallidum W.Watson, Gard. & Forest 3: 78 (1890).
Listrostachys althoffii (Kraenzl.) T.Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afric. 5: 47 (1894).
Listrostachys thonneriana Kraenzl., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique, Compt.-Rend. 38: 64 (1899).
Aerangis pallida (W.Watson) Garay, Bot. Mus. Leafl. 23: 157 (1972).
Description:
A robust species; stems short, eventually reaching 12 cm (5 in.) in length; roots fine, 2 mm in diameter, dark brown with green growing tips. Leaves several, pendent, 18-40 x 2-9 cm (7-16 x 1-4 in.), oblanceolate, unequally and obtusely bilobed at the apex, pale to dark green with noticeable reticulate venation, rather fleshy. Inflorescences pendent, arising below leaves, 20-50 cm (8-20 in.) long, densely many-flowered. Pedicel and ovary 2-3 mm long; bracts large, brown and papery when the flowers are open, 6-10 mm long and wide. Flowers translucent creamy yellow or pale green, not scented. Sepals and petals all lanceolate, subacute; dorsal sepal 8-16 x 3-6 mm; lateral sepals 8-18 x 3-7 mm. Petals 8-18 x 3-6 mm. Lip deflexed, 8-18 x 7-18 mm, quadrate, with a tooth in the mouth of the spur the margins fringed. Spur5-15 mm long, swollen in the middle. Column 3 mm long.
Habitat:
Epiphytic in dense shade in evergreen forest, on trunks and lower branches, 600-1500 m (2000-5000 ft.).
Cultivation:
This species grows well in cultivation, although the leaves are not so large and luxuriant as they are in the wild. It does well either mounted or in a pot that is hung up, in heavy shade and high humidity. In cultivation, it seems to flower more than once a year.
Distribution:
W. Trop. Africa to Uganda
References:
Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; AOS Bulletin Vol 49 No 6 1980; AOS Bulletin Vol 50 No 7 1981; AOS Bulletin Vol 53 No 9 1984; AOS Bulletin Vol 53 No 7 1984; AOS Bulletin Vol 55 No 4 1986; Orchids of the Central African Republic - A Provisional Checklist Cribb & Fay 1987; Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 3 Cribb 1989; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 26.02-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
| In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture |
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| Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. |
