Angraecum astroarche Ridl., Bol. Soc. Brot. 5: 199 (1887).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Mystacidium astroarche (Ridl.) Rolfe in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 7: 170 (1897).
Description:
Plant with elongated, often pendent stems, that are flattened rather than round, almost 2-edged, up to 30 cm long. Leaves in 2 rows, widely spaced, dark green, elliptic-oblong, unequally and obtusely bilobed at the apex, 7.5-10 cm long, up to 2 cm wide. Inflorescences arising opposite the leaf base, 1- to 3-flowered but with only one flower open at a time; bracts amplexicaul, ovate, obtuse, 4-5 mm long; pedicellate ovary 1.2-1.4 cm long. Flowers white with a dark green patch around the callus on the lip; sepals linear-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, 4-5 cm long, 2.5-6 mm wide; petals slightly smaller than the sepals; lip concave, elliptic-lanceolate, acute, 1.5-3 cm long, 7 mm wide, with a longitudinal ridge-like cal1us in the basal half; spur slender, cylindrical, slightly swollen at the apex, 2.5 cm long.
Habitat:
Epiphyte; ca.900 m.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
São Tomé
References:
WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 25.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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