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Angraecum aporoides Summerh., Kew Bull. 17: 560 (1964).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Dolabrifolia aporoides (Summerh.) Szlach. & Romowicz, Richardiana 7: 54 (2007).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Mystacidium distichum var. grandifolium De Wild., Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot., V, 2: 240 (1908).
Angraecum distichum var. grandifolium (De Wild.) Summerh., Kew Bull. 26: 261 (1971).
Description:
Plant usually forming a tuft of pendent, flattened stems to 40 cm long, 6 mm in diameter, with numerous very fine roots up to 0.5 mm in diameter arising between the leaves from the lower parts. Leaves in two rows, glossy light to dark green, deciduous, elliptic-oblong, bilaterally compressed, obtuse in side view, with a wide groove on the upper surface almost extending to the apex, 13–24 × 6–8.8 mm. Inflorescences borne opposite the leaves, appearing axillary, shorter than the leaves, 1-flowered, bracts elliptic, subacute or obtuse, 4–7.5 × 2–4.5 mm, pedicel and ovary 7.7–11 mm long. Flowers white, fleshy, 12–17 mm long. Dorsal sepal 3.7–6.2 × 1.5–2.9 mm, ovate or elliptic, 3- to 7-veined, adaxially concave, margins recurved in the distal half. Lateral sepals 4.5–7 × 1.5–3.3 mm, ovate, elliptic, or obovate, 3- to 7-veined, adaxially concave, margins recurved in the distal half. Petals 3.4–5.3 × 0.9–2.1 mm, ovate, elliptic or obovate, 3- to 5-veined, adaxially concave, margins recurved in the distal half. Lip 3.1–5 × 2.7–5.5 mm, distinctly 3lobed, obovate, apex obtuse, lateral lobes rounded, upright on either side of the column, median lobe longer, triangular, apex acute; spur 6–8.5 × 0.8 mm, straight, apex slender. Column short, 1–2 × 0.5 mm. Pollinia 2, pyriform.
Habitat:
Angraecum aporoides is usually found in dense humid evergreen forest at 20–2,400 m elevation. It also occurs in riparian forest, and in secondary forest showing signs of logging or scattered cultivation of crops such as cocoa, banana, coffee, coconut trees, etc. This species has also been collected in montane to high-elevation humid forest growing among bamboo culms.
Phenology:
Flowering has been recorded throughout the year, with peaks from June to September and in February and March.
Cultivation:
Although much less widespread than Angraecum distichum and apparently growing at lower altitudes, this species seems to like similar conditions in cultivation. It does well in a pot in a bark mix, but because of its rather floppy habit, larger plants need to be hung in a shady place.
Notes:
When describing Angraecum aporoides, Summerhayes (1964) cited Barter 1854 from Nigeria, a specimen originally identified as A. distichum by the collector. We have examined two duplicates of this specimen at K, of which one was used by Summerhayes for the revised version of his treatment in the Flora of West Tropical Africa. This duplicate (listed below in the "Representative specimens examined" section of A. aporoides as Barter 1854a) is in poor condition, consisting of a tuft with three stems without flowers, of which one of the two smallest (4−5 cm long) bears four leaves. We were not able to confirm whether this specimen belongs to A. aporoides. However, the second duplicate, found in the Lindley herbarium at K, is well preserved, possessing leafy stems with several flowers, and is clearly referable to A. bancoense (under which it is cited as Barter 1854b).
Distribution:
Angraecum aporoides was previously known from five countries: Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, São Tomé & Príncipe, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (Govaerts et al. 2016).
References:
A taxonomic revision of Angraecum section Dolabrifolia (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae), with the description of a new species from Gabon, Phytotaxa October 2016; African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1996; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans and Campbell 2006; Mille et Une Mini Orchideees Roguenant 2009;WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 28.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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In culture	In culture	In culture
Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.