Ancistrorhynchus akeassiae Pérez-Vera, Orchidées Côte D'Ivoire: 56 (2003).
Description:
Plant erect or pendent with a curved stem 5-25 cm long. Leaves in 2 rows, narrowly lanceolate, rigid, unequally bilobed at the apex, the longer lobe narrow and pointed up to 2 cm long, the shorter lobe absent, 5-13 cm long, 3-12 mm wide. Inflorescences axillary, in short congested racemes 12-14 mm long, bearing 7-10 flowers produced simultaneously along the stem; bracts 1 mm long; pedicel with ovary 3-4 mm long. Flowers white, greenish on the outer surface; sepals oblong, subacute, 2-2.5 mm long; petals similar but narrower; lip 3-lobed, lateral lobes erect, rounded, mid-lobe cordate, recurved, margins crenulate, lip in total 5 mm long; spur S-shaped, wide at the base, then constricted, finally inflated in an egg-shaped tip, 3-4 mm long.
Etymology:
Named in honour of Laurent Ake Assi, who collected the first specimen in 1966 whilst professor of botany at the University of Abidjan.
Habitat:
Epiphyte in shady, humid forests; 100-500 m.
Phenology:
Flowering in May.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, hot growing epiphyte.
Notes:
This species was at first confused with Ancistrorhynchus straussii, which has differently shaped leaves and smaller flowers.
Distribution:
W. Trop. Africa
References:
Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans and Campbell 2006; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 10.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
| Shade house culture | Shade house culture |
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| Photograph© Ehoarn Bidault/ Missouri Botanical Garden. Image used with kind permission. |
Photograph© Ehoarn Bidault/ Missouri Botanical Garden. Image used with kind permission. |
