Angraecum multiflorum Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: 74 (1822).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Aerobion multiflorum (Thouars) Spreng., Syst. Veg. 3: 717 (1826).
Angraecum caulescens var. multiflorum (Thouars) S.Moore in J.G.Baker, Fl. Mauritius: 357 (1877).
Epidorkis multiflora (Thouars) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 660 (1891).
Mystacidium caulescens var. multiflorum (Thouars) T.Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afric. 5: 52 (1894).
Mystacidium multiflorum (Thouars) Cordem., Rev. Gén. Bot. 11: 425 (1899).
Monixus multiflorus (Thouars) Finet, Mém. Soc. Bot. France 9: 19 (1907).
Gomphocentrum multiflorum (Thouars) Szlach., Mytnik & Grochocka, Biodivers. Res. Conservation 29: 14 (2013).
Description:
Plants to about 20 cm tall, with the stem often longer than the leave, 3 mm in diameter generally,covered by the heavily striate veined sheaths. Leaves numerous in the upper two-thirds of the stem, slightly oblique and arched lengthwise oblong-lanceolate (30-55 x 4-6 mm medially or slightly above), slightly attenuate toward both ends unequally bilobed apically, thin, slightly rigid and heavily veined. Inflorescences grouped in a linear series, unilateral, m 5's or 6´s, with 1 in flower at a time, the others flowering in the preceding years, from the short stem 4- 10 mm), obliquely reclined, thick (1.5-2 mm), aphyllous, hearing sheaths, sometimes developing a leaf on the end and soon loosing it, before the emergence of the inflorescences of the following years; groups in inflorescences very numerous, I arising from each sheath below the leaves: the most recent of the inflorescences in the series with a single flower, the others (those which flowered in the preceding years) reduced to more or less long trunk like peduncles; peduncle provided basally with 3 hort sheaths and bearing apically 1-3 flowers; bracts oval-acute, l.5-2.5 mm long; flowers yellowish. Median sepal oval (3.5-5.5 x 1 .4-2.7 mm in the lower third) shortly apiculate-acute apically and 3 veined; lateral sepals slightly longer (4-6 mm), slightly enlarged on the front margin and joined basally by this same margin. Petals lanceolate (3-4.8 x 1-1.25 mm) and subacute. Labellum 3- 5 mm long, in a very concave bowl shortly acuminate-acute, wider than long, obviously contracted basally, not reaching to the column, bare basally, veins parallel, not gathered into 3 fascicles; spur with a wide oriface 2-4 mm long, more or less enlarged and recurved apically. Column much wider than tall, auricles subsquare, internal angle short and acute, the other obtuse; with a very small tooth in the notch. Anther truncate apically. Pedicel 2.5-3 mm long.
Habitat:
Epiphyte, in forests, from 1200- 1500 alt.: flowering in December-February.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, warm to cool growing epiphyte.
Distribution:
W. Indian Ocean
References:
Historie Particulier des Plantes Orchidees Recueilles Sur Trois Iles Australes d'Afrique Thouars 1822; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans and Campbell 2006; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans, Du Puy, Cribb & Bosser 2007; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 27.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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