e-Key v3 - Angraecum
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Orchidaceae - Epidendroideae - Vandeae - Angraecum Bory

Description :

  • Epiphytic monopodial herbs, with short to elongate leafy stems, without pseudobulbs
  • Leaves distichous, ± coriaceous, articulated to persistent sheath, often unequally 2-lobed
  • Inflorescences lateral, racemes, rarely flowers solitary; flowers often white or greenish white
  • Sepals and petals free, subsimilar
  • Lip concave, entire or 3-lobed, spurred, basally enveloping gynostemium
  • Gynostemium short and broad, lacking column-foot; anther operculate, incumbent; pollinia 2
  • Capsule oblong or fusiform
  • x = 19 (25) (aneuploids, polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Angraecum Bory
    • Bory: 359 (1804)
    • Rolfe: 68 (1912)
    • Phillips: 243 (1951)
    • Schelpe: 38 (1966)
    • Harrison: 85 (1972)
    • Stewart et al.: 256 (1982)
    • Linder & Kurzweil: 421 (1999)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 200, Africa, Madagascar and Mascarene Islands, 1 in Sri Lanka
  • Southern Africa : Species 6 widespread in subtropical parts, including Swaziland, extending to Eastern Cape

References:

  • BORY, DE SAINT-VINCENT, J.B.G.M. 1804. Voyage dans le quatre principales îles des mers d'Afrique , Vol. 1. F. Buisson, Paris
  • HARRISON, E.R. 1972. Epiphytic orchids of southern Africa . Natal Branch of the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa
  • LINDER, H.P. & KURZWEIL, H. 1999. Orchids of southern Africa . A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam
  • PHILLIPS, E.P. 1951. The genera of South African flowering plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 25
  • ROLFE, R.A. 1912. Order CXXXI. Orchideae . Flora capensis 5,3
  • SCHELPE, E.A. 1966. An introduction to the South African Orchids . Purnell & Sons, Cape Town, Johannesburg
  • STEWART, J., LINDER, H.P., SCHELPE, E.A. & HALL, A.V. 1982. Wild orchids of southern Africa . Macmillan, Johannesburg