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Angraecum leonis (Rchb.f.) André, Rev. Hort. (Paris) 57: 294 (1885).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Aeranthes leonis Rchb.f., Gard. Chron., n.s., 23: 726 (1885).
Angraecum humblotii Rchb.f. ex Rolfe, Reichenbachiana, ser. 2, 2: 49 (1894), nom. superfl.
Mystacidium leonis (Rchb.f.) Rolfe, Orchid Rev. 12: 47 (1904).
Macroplectrum leonis (Rchb.f.) Finet, Mém. Soc. Bot. France 9: 30 (1907).
Humblotiangraecum leonis (André) Szlach., Mytnik & Grochocka, Biodivers. Res. Conservation 29: 15 (2013).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Aeranthes leonii Rchb.f., Flora 68: 380 (1885).
Angraecum humboltii Rchb.f., Flora 68: 381 (1885), nom. inval.
Description:
Plants acaulis, foliar sheaths wide and short, traversely rugose; usually with 4 thick, horizontal leaves arranged in a Saint Andrews cross, ensiform-narrow, the lateral surfaces 16-22 mm wide, fleshy, coriaceous and 5-10 cm long. Inflorescences 1-2 below the leaves, from in the sheaths, 1 or 2 at the same time, 4 flowered, peduncle short (15-20 mm) bearing 3-4 basal sheaths, scarious-thin, obtuse, loose, not covering the entire peduncle; bracts scarious, thin, 3 mm long, one-tenth the length of the pedicel; flowers white, divisions fleshy, 2 cm long generally. Sepals lanceolate, much wider basally (5 mm), attenuate-acute in the upper half, carinate dorsally and thickened apically. Petals narrowly oval lanceolate (much wider in the lower third), acute and of the same length. Labellum widely navicular, margins dilate-rounded in front, then abruptly acuminate in an acute point, much wider above the center; with a median keel in the lower half; 11 veined, veins divided into 3 fascicles, the median of which (7 parallel veins) running into the spur, the 2 laterals (2 veins each) curved toward the point or adnate to the column at the base of the limbus: spur 7-9 cm long, curved-undulate, very wide at its oriface (6 mm) then filiform-attenuate. Column wider than tall 4 x 5 mm) auricles nearly square, angles acute and equal median tongue of the rostellum acicular equal to three-quarters the length of the auricles. Anther excised in front with the edge acute, pollina contiguous with a single common retinacle in the form of a club and viscous on its apex. Pedicel 35-50 mm long, flat and winged, ovary 3 winged. Capsule elliptical (2 x 1 cm) and 3 winged.
Habitat:
There are two forms of this species found in very different areas. The smaller form is found at the northern tip of Malagasy (Madagascar) growing near sea level. The second and larger form is found in the Comoro Islands growing at about 3000 ft. (910 m).
Cultivation:
Read more of Cultivation of Angraecum leonis (Rchb.f.) André,
Notes:
Although not as spectacular as the Cornoro Islands form, this plant is extremely attractive and may well prove to be better for basement and horne growing. It has not (as yet) demonstrated the tendency toward bud blast (a condition we occasionally encounter in the Cornoro Islands form). It is a much more "mini" type plant than the Comoro form.
Distribution:
Comoros, Mayotte, Madagascar
References:
Bechtel, H., P. Cribb, and E. Launert. 1980. Manual of cultivated orchid species. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. Hawkes, A. D. (1965) 1987. Encyclopaedia of cultivated orchids. Faber and Faber, London. Hillerman, F. E., and A. W. Holst. 1986. An introduction to the cultivated Angraecoid orchids of Madagascar. Timber Press, Portland, Ore. Northen, R. T. 1980. Miniature orchids. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. Veitch, James, and Sons. [1887-1894] 1963, 1981. Manual of orchidaceous plants. Vols. I-II. James Veitch and Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London. Reprint, Vol. I, A. Asher and Co., Amsterdam, The Netherlands; reprint, Vol. II, Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, India; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 24.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Etienne Vennetier Image used with kind permission.