Angraecum obesum H.Perrier, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 7: 114 (1938).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Perrierangraecum obesum (H.Perrier) Szlach., Mytnik & Grochocka, Biodivers. Res. Conservation 29: 20 (2013).
Description:
Plants to 40-50 cm tall, stem upright, generally 1cm in diameter; roots sprinkled with verrucosites, sheaths traversely rugose, leaves sub distichous, flat, 10-12 cm long and 1.3-1.5 cm wide, shortly bilobulate apically, lobes obtuse and sub equal. Inflorescences single flowered, from in the lower leaf sheaths; peduncle short (6-7 mm), entirely covered by the sheaths, the superior larger, carinate on the edge, obtuse, covering the basal part of the bract, bracts obtuse, large, carinate, 1cm long; flower variable in size, large, sepals and petals thick and of a cream-white, the labellum thin and pure white. Sepals lanceolate (3-3.5 cm x 5-8 mm), obtuse, the median recurved behind, the laterals porrect, obtusely enlarged basally in front. Petals nearly similar to the median sepal, but slightly smaller (2-3 cm x 3-6 mm), laid back. Labellum contracted basally, enlarged-navicular, very concave and widely oval (2-3.4 x 1.4-2 cm), bent basally in a pit, forming below a deep gibbosite, folded marginally, shortly acuminate-acute in front, with numerous veins, parallel; spur cylindrical, 5-10 cm long gradually attenuate from the base to the apex. Anther (3 x 2 mm) with the connective appendage thick in front, provided anteriorly with 2 long, spatulate-obtuse lobes; pollina reniform with their cauda retracted; bandeletts 2, hyaline, sub triangular, more or less embracing. Column thick, 5 mm tall, slightly gibbous behind to the apex; clinandrium dilate-deltoid with the anther; auricles 2.5 mm tall and 3.5 mm wide apically, retuse in front, elongated behind in an obtuse angle; median tooth of the rostellum deltoid and very short. Pedicel 1.2-1.3 cm long. Capsule oblong with the dorsal angles tri-winged (1 wing vertical and the other 2 wings horizontal) the intermediary angles simple winged.
Habitat:
Angraecurn obesum grows epiphytically on tree trunks, or among rocks, in moss forest at elevations of 1,200—1,500 meters in east-central Madagascar, to which it is endemic, and where it flowers in January.
Cultivation:
This species is grown mostly on slabs, but can be potted in medium fir bark or some substitute. It does equally well in low or medium light, and requires weekly watering with frequent misting. Intermediate temperatures suit this species, which is very easy to grow. Flowering time here is mostly during early spring, but varies with clones.
Notes:
Angraecum obesum is not a spectacular species, but it certainly cannot be faulted for being large or bulky. This plant bears some resemblance to Angraecum viguieri, with which it should be crossed, hopefully to produce smaller plants and a stronger tendency toward yellow color. Perhaps the greatest value of these smaller, mediocre species lies in the hidden traits that may be revealed as they are hybridized with others.
Distribution:
C. Madagascar
References:
Flora Of Madagascar Perrier 1939/81; AOS Bulletin Vol 51 No 3 1982; Cultivated Angraecoid Orchids Of Madagascar Hillerman & Holst 1986; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 27.01-2017; 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 |
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| 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. |
| Habitat/ In situ |
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| Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. |
