Aeranthes tenella Bosser, Adansonia, n.s., 11: 85 (1971).
Description:
Small, stemless, epiphytic plant with four or five leaves 2.5-5.5 x 1-1.8 cm, leathery, with tips rounded, bilobed; leaf sheaths short and overlapping; inflorescences four or five in number, 5-10 cm long, one- or two-flowered; peduncie slender; flowers small; dorsal sepal 1.8-1.9 cm x 4 mm, five-veined; lateral sepals asymmetrical, 1.7-1.8 cm x 6-7 mm, five- to seven veined; petals 1-1.2 cm x 4.5 mm, five- to seven-veined; lip 1-1.2 cm x 6-7 mm, with edges denticulate toward the tip; spur 6-6.5 mm long, with tip somewhat curved, mildly swollen; pedicellate ovary 1.5-1.8 mm long.
Habitat:
Growing in rain forest.
Notes:
This species is slightly reminiscent of Aeranthes parvula Schlechter, but the leaves are wider and the habit is different.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus
Distribution:
Northeastern Madagascar
References:
Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 21.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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Habitat/ In situ Habitat/ In situ
aeranthes tenella 01 aeranthes tenella  02
Photograph Alain Bastide. Image used with kind permission. Photograph Alain Bastide. Image used with kind permission.