Aeranthes crassifolia Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 33: 276 (1925).
Description:
Plants acaulis. leaves 5-6 lingulate (7-l0 x 1.3-2.3 cm), fleshy-coriaeeous and thick. Inflorescence 20 cm, long generally, very thin, upright, simple or with 2-3 short branches; peduncle very rigid, thin (2 mm in diameter), with several acuminate, distant sheaths; rachis developing progressively, many flowered, flexous, brats oval, shortly ucuminate, 3-4 times shorter than the pedicel; flowers greenish and of average size. Sepals 3 cm long, the basal lamina oval or oval-oblong, very acuminate-filimentous, the laterals slightly enlarged on the front margin above the base. Petals all of 18 mm long, with the basal lamina suborbicutar, almost paucidentate on the front margins, elongated by a filiform acumin. Labellum oblong-acuminate (18 x 8 mm medially), rounded basally. Foot widely (7 mm) funnel shaped, abruptly costracted is an almost straight spur, slightly curved in front, narrowly cylindrical-obtuse and l5 mm long. Pedicel 9 mm long.
Habitat:
Epiphyte of Tamarind trees; flowering in February.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus.
Distribution:
N. Madagascar
References:
Flora of Madagascar Perrier 1939/81; Beautiful Thai Orchid Species Kamemoto & Sagarik 1975; A field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand Vaddhanaphuti 2001; A field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand Vaddhanaphuti 2005; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007; Orchids of India A Glimpse Misra 2007; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009; Genera Orchidacearum Vol 6 Epidendroideae Part 3 Pridgeon, Cribb, Chase and Rasmussen 2014; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 21.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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