Rhipidoglossum leedalii (P.J.Cribb) Farminhão & Stévart, Phytotaxa 349: 253 (2018).
Homotypic Names:
Margelliantha leedalii P.J.Cribb, Kew Bull. 34: 333 (1979).
Angraecopsis leedalii (P.J.Cribb) R.Rice, Prelim. Checklist & Survey Subtrib. Aerangidinae (Orchidac.): 21 (2005).
Description:
Plants small, with thin roots at the base of short stems. Stems upright or pendent, 1.5-4 cm long, with few leaves at the apex. Leaves 3-6, ligulate, unequally bilobed at the apex, 4-8 cm long, 6-8 mm wide. Inflorescences usually several arising below the leaves, up to 7 cm long, 3- to 8-tlowered. Flowers glistening white with green anther cap, only partially open; dorsal sepal ovate, obtuse, 4-5 mm long, 3 mm wide; lateral sepals falcate, obtuse, 4-5 mm long, 3 mm wide; petals obovate to almost round, obtuse, 3-4 mm long, 3 mm wide; lip flabellate, emarginate, 5-6 mm long, 6-8 mm wide; spur slightly incurved, clavate, 6-7 mm long.
Habitat:
Epithyte on the mossy branches of trees and shrubs ca. 1500 m; flowering in June.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, warm to cold growing epiphyte.
Distribution:
SE. Kenya to Tanzania
References:
Orchids of Kenya Stewart 1996; Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 3 Cribb 1989; Orchids of Kenya Stewart & Campbell 1996; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 29.03-2020; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
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