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Angraecum geerinckianum Stévart & Jecmenica, Phytotaxa 323: 151 (2017).
Homotypic Names:
Conchograecum geerinckianum (Stévart & Jecmenica) Szlach., Grochocka, Oledrz. & Mytnik, Richardiana, N.S. 2: 92 (2018).
Description:
Epiphytic herbaceous herbs, stem up to 4 cm long, not branching, internodes reaching 1 cm. Leaves alternate, constricted, broadly elliptic, leaf blade 5.0-10.0 x 2.0-5.2 cm, leaf apex unequally obtusely bilobed, longer lobe round, reaching 6 mm, whereas smaller lobe 0-1 mm, margins entire; 9 nerves present with a conspicuous midvein. Inflorescence horizontal, growing indefinitely and producing flowers consecutively, plant in culture has more than 10 flower scars on one inflorescence with a peduncle c. 10 cm. Bracts narrowly enfolding the peduncle that is 10 cm or longer. Flowers resupinate, tepal colour varying between white, whitish or yellowish background turning to dull pinkish yellow or pinkish orange (salmon to peach pink, see Beentje 2010) toward tepal apices and along midway nerves (colour intensifies with age of flowers), tepals appear stiff and straight. Ovary and pedicel straight, 12-13 mm long. Dorsal sepal 21-23 x 5-6 mm, elliptic and acute. Lateral sepals identical, 19.0-22.0 x 4.5-5.5 mm, margins entire. Petals similar to sepals, but seem more white than the latter, 19.0-20.5 x 4.0-5.5 mm, elliptic, acute. Lip orbicular 18-19 x 10-12 mm, acuminate, moderately concave, orbicular when flattened with constricted acute apex, widest around half length; callus present in the form of a keel, white to yellowish green, about half of lip length; margins slightly undulating, broadly and duly denticulate throughout the margin length; spur 20-21 mm, greenish turning white towards the lip, cylindrical, horizontal, straight, apically slightly descending and elliptically swollen. Column 3.5 x 3.0 mm, white to yellowish green, bulging rostellum bifid. Anther cap 2.0 x 2.5 mm, round with a flat tip. Single elliptic stipe connected to its viscidium. Viscidium sharply tapering on one side and round with sticky tissue on other side; two viscidia appear closely connected with a thin layer of tissue. Pollinia and capsule not seen.
Etymology:
The species is dedicated to the recently deceased Belgian botanist and orchidologist, Daniel Geerinck. His great contribution to our knowledge of Central African orchids is reflected in the authorship of two orchid volumes of the Flore d’Afrique centrale (Geerinck 1984, 1992).
Habitat:
Known only from one locality in dense forest of Ndjole area in the Massif du Chaillu (Fig. 6). The only specimen was found in a dense, humid forest at the bottom of the valley, at about 600 m elevation, not far from the concession roads.
Flowering phenology:
The specimen in cultivation at Sibang shadehouse flowered in November.
Notes:
Angraecum geerinckianum Stevart & Jecmenica resembles A. affine, but differs from it in its shorter stem (up to 4 cm vs. 10-20 cm), lip position (lowermost, resupinate vs. non-resupinate), larger floral parts: sepals (21.0-23.0 vs. 9.0-11.5 mm), petals (19.0-20.5 vs. 7.0-10.0 mm), lip (18.0-19.0 vs. 6.5-11.0 mm) and spur shape (straight descending vs. slightly S-shaped). This species is morphologically most similar to Angraecum gereauanum, and their differences are discussed in the diagnosis above. Angraecum geerinckianum stands out from both related species in its broadly elliptic leaves (vs. elliptic-oblong) and whitish pinkish-orange flower colour (vs. white).
Distribution:
Gabon
References:
Taxonomy of Atlantic Central African orchids, 6: three new species of Angraecum sect. Afrangraecum (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae) from Gabon and Sao Tomé Phytotaxa 323 (2): 143–158,2017 by Vincent Droissart and Tariq Stévart
Images:
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Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph© Ehoarn Bidault/ Missouri Botanical Garden. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Ehoarn Bidault/ Missouri Botanical Garden. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Ehoarn Bidault/ Missouri Botanical Garden. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Ehoarn Bidault/ Missouri Botanical Garden. Image used with kind permission.