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Aeranthes ramosa Rolfe, Orchid Rev. 9: 352 (1901).
Synonyms:
Aeranthes vespertilio Cogn., Dict. Ic. Orch., Aer.: t. 2 (1902), nom. illeg.
Description:
Plants acaulis, with 5-6 coriaceous, widely loriform (15-28 x 4-6 cm), nearly equally bilobed-obtuse leaves, Inflorescence pendent, very thin, simple or few branched, 20-30 cm; peduncle filiform, sheaths much shorter than the internodes; clusters with 1-3 dark green flowers; bracts 3-4 mm long. Median sepal oval-lanceolate (4 cm. x 1.6 cm above the base), gradually attenuate-acute and 7 veined; lateral sepals joined, on the front margin, then adnate to the column foot and heavily enlarged in a transverse lamina 2.2- 2.3 cm wide, acuminate-acute lengthwise, longer (4.5 cm) than the median and with 9 veins, curved in the area of enlargement. Petals 3.5 cm long, in a narrowly obovate acumin, 7-9 veined. Labellum heavily auriculate basally, then widely obovate (4 x 2 cm) and elongated with a deltoid cusp; 9 veined, the 5 intermediary narrow and simple, the others very branched; spur 1.4 cm long, slightly attenuate from the base to the obtuse apes, foot widely navicular (2 x 1 cm), 7 veined and whitish, elongated beyond the spur oriface, by a short margin. a slight 3 mm wide; anther excised apically, 5 mm wide; pollina round, cauda retracted, bandeletts narrow and contoured, as long as the auricles. Column very thick (3 x 5 mm), with the auricles deltoid-acute 4 mm, long, intermediary teeth nearly absent. Pedicel articulate basally, 2 cm long.
Habitat:
Aeranthes ramosa grows epiphytically on tree trunks at an altitude of up to 1,400 meters in most forests in east-central Madagascar, where it is endemic. In its natural state it is subject to fairly humid conditions and abundant rainfall. In Madagascar it flowers in February.
Cultivation:
Read more of Cultivation of Aeranthes ramosa Rolfe
Distribution:
C. & NE. Madagascar
References:
De la Bathie, H., and H. Humbert. [1939, 1941] 1981. Flora of Madagascar 1-2. The Government of Madagascar and the National Museum of Natural History, Paris. Translated and published in 1 vol., Steven D. Beckman, 621 Palm Ave., Lodi, CA, U.S.A. 95240. Du Puy, D., P. Cribb, J. Bosser, J. and C. Hermans. 1999. The Orchids of Madagascar. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, England. Hamilton, R. 1988. When does it flower? 2nd ed. Robert M. Hamilton, 9211 Beckwith Road, Richmond, B. C., Canada V6X 1V7. Hillerman, F. and A. Holst. 1986. An introduction to the cultivated Angraecoid orchids of Madagascar. Timber Press, Portland, Ore.; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 21.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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In culture	In culture	In culture	In culture	In culture
Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.

Habitat/ In situ	Habitat/ In situ	Habitat/ In situ	Habitat/ In situ
Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.