Angraecum rigidifolium H.Perrier, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 7: 116 (1938).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Perrierangraecum rigidifolium (H.Perrier) Szlach., Mytnik & Grochocka, Biodivers. Res. Conservation 29: 20 (2013).
Description:
Plants generally 14 cm tall stem compressed, 4-5 mm wide; sheaths provided with an enlarged dorsal edge, with 9 heavy and fine veins, traversely rugose; leaves distichous, and flat, 1.6-2 cm long and 4- 5 mm wide, plicate, terminal lobes obtuse and nearly equal. Inflorescences numerous, single flowered; peduncle short (5-6 mm), entirely covered by the 4 large, compressed, obtuse, heavily carinate sheaths, the superior of which covers the base of the bract; bracts thin, 5 mm long, carinate behind; flowers white. Sepals 3 veined, lanceolate, attenuate from the base to acute apex, the laterals larger (16 x 3 mm) than the median (14 x 2.2 mm), enlarged-obtuse toward the base on the front edge and sickle shaped. Petals lineal, 13 mm long. Labellum 15 mm long, wide below the center, 6mm., very concave, oval-lanceolate, thick toward the acute apex, bent basally, the bend forming a very projecting gibbosite below; veins numerous and joined basally into 3 separate fascicles, the median of which enters into the spur, the other 2 on the sides of the column; spur nearly filiform, 3-3.3 cm long. Anther with a projecting connective appendage, in the form of a crest, elongated in front by a wide beak, bidentate-obtuse apically, l mm tall, pollina denticulate, brown, caudas retracted; bandeletts oblong (2.1 x 0.6 mm). Column 2.3 mm long, 2 mm thick; rear margin of the clinandrium enlarged ii a wide deltoid lamina, auricles very wide, sub-bilobed, posterior lobe obtuse, the anterior obtusely bidentate and crenulate between the 2 teeth; median tongue of the rostellum deltoid-acicular, a third as long as the auricles. Pedicel 1.2 cm long.
Habitat:
This species is endemic to Madagascar, where it grows in the province of Antananarivo at elevations of 1,000 to 1,499 m asl. It is known only from the type specimen made in 1925 from the Mandraka area. Epiphyte of trunks; in mossy forests, from 1300 m alt., flowering in February.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
C. Madagascar
References:
WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 28.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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