Angraecum teretifolium Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 21: 484 (1885).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Angorchis teretifolia (Ridl.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 652 (1891).
Monixus teretifolius (Ridl.) Finet, Mém. Soc. Bot. France 9: 16 (1907).
Arachnangraecum teretifolium (Ridl.) Szlach., Mytnik & Grochocka, Biodivers. Res. Conservation 29: 11 (2013).
Description:
Plants with the roots glabrous; stems flexuous and thin, to 40 cm tall, and 2 mm in diameter; internodes elongated (12 mm generally), not entirely covered by the foliar sheaths, which are traversely rugose. Leaves linear, rough, nearly cylindrical (4.5 cm x l mm in diameter), except basally which is shortly grooved, slightly furrowed lengthwise, with the veins very projecting. Peduncle thin, 4.5-5.5 cm long, generally single flowered; bracts acuminate-obtuse. Sepals lanceolate basally, acuminate-filiform, longly lanceolate in the lower third, then longly acuminate-filiform, 6-7 veined and to all of 12 mm long, the laterals slightly enlarged toward the base with the internal margins slightly narrower than the median. Petals smaller and 5 veined, but in a similar form. Labellum lanceolate-triangular, acuminate-acute, spur filiform, 10 cm long. Pedicel 16 mm. long generally. Capsule oblong, 12 mm long, with the margins slightly projecting.
Habitat:
This species grows natively in the central highlands of Madagascar, near Ankafana and south of Moramanga. The altitude appears to be 1,000—1,200 meters.
Cultivation:
Mounted plants need several misting per day to prevent dehydration. Light mainly medium, and temperatures intermediate. These plants tend to resent root disturbance, except as small seedlings.
Notes:
This species is a real charmer with its will-o'-the-wisp-hike flowers. Several pinkish-white flowers on a plant convey the picture of a flock of birds-of-paradise about to launch into flight. It is a species that requires little room, and with its pendent growth habit it forms a lazy mass of stems overhanging its little 3-inch pot, which it will never outgrow. This is one species that deserves to be much more widely known and grown, even though it is almost completely devoid of fragrance.
Distribution:
EC. Madagascar
References:
Flora Of Madagascar Perrier 1939/81; Cultivated Angraecoid Orchids Of Madagascar Hillerman & Holst 1986; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 28.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
| Habitat/ In situ |
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| Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission. |
