Angraecum biteaui Simo-Droissart & Stévart, sp. nov.
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 0.7 mm in diameter arising between the leaves from the lower parts. Leaves in two rows, glossy dark green, deciduous, elliptic-oblong, bilaterally compressed, acute in side view, with a wide groove on the upper surface extending to near the apex, 23–28.5 × 5.8–7.5 mm. Inflorescences borne opposite the leaves, appearing axillary, shorter than the leaves, 1-flowered, bracts elliptic, acute, 4.2–8 × 2.5–3.8 mm; pedicel and ovary 8–10 mm long. Flowers white, fleshy, 11–14 mm long. Dorsal sepal 2.8–3.7 × 1–1.6 mm, ovate or elliptic, 3- to 5-veined, adaxially concave, margins recurved in the distal half. Lateral sepals 3.4–4.5 × 1.1–1.9 mm, ovate, elliptic or obovate, 2- to 5veined, adaxially concave, margins recurved in the distal half. Petals 2.6–3.2 × 0.7–1 mm, ovate, elliptic, or obovate, 3-veined, adaxially concave, margins recurved in the distal half. Lip 2.1–3 × 2.8–3.9 mm, slightly 3-lobed, concave, apex apiculate, lateral lobes rounded, upright on either side of the column, median lobe longer, triangular, apex acute; spur 3–4.2 × 0.5 mm, straight, apex obtuse. Column short, 1–1.5 × 0.4 mm. Pollinia 2, pyriform.
Etymology:
The species epithet honors Jean Philippe Biteau, Director of the Jardi Gab company in Libreville, Gabon, for his commitment to preserving the African flora and for his important contribution to the study of the Gabonese orchids. He is one of the first persons to have collected this new species and has carefully grown living specimens in his garden in Libreville, where his rich collections of Gabonese orchids have yielded fertile specimens of all five species treated in this study.
Habitat:
Angraecum biteaui is found on large trees in dense humid coastal forests, either in the canopy or on fallen tree trunks.
Phenology:
Flowering has been recorded nearly throughout the year, except in February, May and August.
Distribution:
Known only from Gabon. Endemic to the coastal part of the Lower Guinea Domain of the Guineo-Congolian Region
References:
A taxonomic revision of Angraecum section Dolabrifolia (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae), with the description of a new species from Gabon, Phytotaxa October 2016
Images:
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