Angraecum

Angraecum
Missing image Angraecum-eburneum-longical.jpg Angraecum eburneum var. longicalcar
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Subfamily: Epidendroideae Tribe: Vandaeae Template:Taxobox subtribus entry Template:Taxobox alliance entry Genus: Angraecum
Species
See text

Angraecum Bory, 1804 contains 221 species, some of the most magnificent of all orchids.

They belong to the subtribe Sarcanthinae and as such, do not posses pseudobulbs but have an ever growing monopodial stem or stems.

They are quite varied vegetatively and florally and are adapted to dry tropical woodland habitat and have quite fleshy leaves as a consequence. Most are epiphytes, but a few are lithophytes.

Tropical Africa and Madagascar contain the majority of the genus with outlying species in southeast Asia. But these orchids can also be found on the Comores, the Seychelles, and the Mascarenes. They occur between sea level and 2,000 m in humid regions.

The long-lasting flowers are racemose and grow from the leaf axils. They are mostly white, but a few are yellow, green or ochre. They all have a long spur at the back of the labellum (lip).

In the case of Angraecum sesquipedale, a species from Madagascar, on observing the 30cm spur in the lip, Charles Darwin theorised that, since the nectar was at the bottom of the spur, a pollinator must exist with a tongue at least that long. Otherwise the orchid could never be pollinated. At the time, he was not believed. However, long after Darwin's death, the predicted pollinator was discovered, a hawk moth now named Xanthopan morganii praedicta (praedicta meaning predicted). It had an appropriately long proboscis. The specific name 'sesquipedale' means 'one foot and a half', referring to the length of the spur. This is a perfect example of mutual dependence of an orchid and a specific pollinator.

Below are a few representative species of the genus:

• Angraecum eburneum : lithophyte
• Angraecum leonis : Lion's Moustache Orchid
• Angraecum magdalenae : Queen of the Angraecums
• Angraecum sesquipedale : Star of Bethlehem Orchid, Christmas Star Orchid, Comet Orchid, Rocket orchid

Species

• Angraecum acutipetalum (Madagascar.)
• Angraecum affine (WC. Trop. Africa to Uganda).
• Angraecum alleizettei (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum aloifolium (NW. Madagascar).
• Angraecum ambrense (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum amplexicaule (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum ampullaceum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum andasibeense (N. & C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum andringitranum (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum angustipetalum (W. & WC. Trop. Africa to Malawi).
• Angraecum ankeranense (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum aporoides (Nigeria to WC. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum appendiculoides (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum astroarche (São Tomé).
• Angraecum aviceps (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum bancoense (Ivory Coast, Cameroon).
• Angraecum baronii (N. & C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum bemarivoense (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum bicallosum (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum birrimense (W. & WC. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum borbonicum (Réunion)
• Angraecum brachyrhopalon (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum bracteosum (Réunion).
• Angraecum breve (N. Madagascar).

• Angraecum brevicornu (NE. Tanzania).
• Angraecum cadetii (Mauritius, Réunion).
• Angraecum calceolus (Mozambique to W. Indian Ocean).
• Angraecum caricifolium (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum caulescens (Mascarenes, Madagascar)
• Angraecum chaetopodum (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum chamaeanthus (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
• Angraecum chermozoni (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum chimanimaniense (Zimbabwe).
• Angraecum chloranthum (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum cilaosianum (Réunion)..
• Angraecum claessensii (W. Trop. Africa to Congo).
• Angraecum clareae (Madagascar).
• Angraecum clavigerum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum compactum (Madagascar.
• Angraecum compressicaule (C. Madagascar.
• Angraecum conchiferum (Kenya to S. Africa).
• Angraecum cordemoyi (Réunion).
• Angraecum coriaceum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum cornigerum (Réunion).
• Angraecum cornucopiae (Madagascar).
• Angraecum corynoceras (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum costatum (Mascarenes)..
• Angraecum coutrixii (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum crassifolium (Réunion).
• Angraecum crassum (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum cribbianum (Gabon.
• Angraecum cucullatum (Réunion).
• Angraecum cultriforme (Kenya to NE. KwaZulu-Natal).
• Angraecum curvicalcar (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum curvicaule (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum curvipes (Cameroon).
• Angraecum danguyanum (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum dasycarpum (E. Madagascar).
• Angraecum dauphinense (SW. Madagascar).
• Angraecum decaryanum (SW. Madagascar).
• Angraecum decipiens (Kenya to N. Tanzania).
• Angraecum dendrobiopsis (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum didieri (Madagascar).
• Angraecum distichum (W. Trop. Africa to Angola and Uganda).
• Angraecum dives (Socotra, SW. Somalia to Tanzania).
• Angraecum dollii (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum doratophyllum (São Tomé, Príncipe).
• Angraecum drouhardii (N. Madagascarà.
• Angraecum dryadum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum eburneum (SE. Kenya to E. Tanzania (incl. Pemba, Zanzibar), W. Indian Ocean).
  • Angraecum eburneum subsp. eburneum (W. Indian Ocean). Lithophytic.
  • Angraecum eburneum subsp. giryamae (SE. Kenya to E. Tanzania (incl. Pemba, Zanzibar). Lithophytic.
  • Angraecum eburneum var. longicalcar
  • Angraecum eburneum subsp. superbum (Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar). Lithophytic
  • Angraecum eburneum subsp. xerophilum (SW. Madagascar. Lithophytic.
• Angraecum egertonii (S. Nigeria to Gabon).
• Angraecum eichlerianum (Nigeria to Angola).
  • Angraecum eichlerianum var. curvicalcaratum (Cameroon). Epiphytic.
  • Angraecum eichlerianum var. eichlerianum (Nigeria to Angola) Epiphytic.
• Angraecum elephantinum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum elliotii (Madagascar).
• Angraecum equitans (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum erectum (E. Trop. Africa to Zambia).
• Angraecum expansum (Réunion).
  • Angraecum expansum subsp. expansum (Réunion). Epiphytic.
  • Angraecum expansum subsp. inflatum (Réunion). Epiphytic.
• Angraecum falcifolium (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum ferkoanum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum filicornu (Mascarenes, Madagascar).
• Angraecum firthii (Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya).
• Angraecum flavidum (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum floribundum (C. Madagascar.
• Angraecum florulentum (Comoros)
• Angraecum gabonense (WC. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum geniculatum (W. Zambia).
• Angraecum germinyanum (Mascarenes, Comoros, Madagascar).
• Angraecum guillauminii (Madagascar).
• Angraecum hermannii (Réunion).
• Angraecum humbertii (SW. Madagascar).
• Angraecum humblotianum (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum humile (Rwanda to Zimbabwe).
• Angraecum huntleyoides (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum imerinense (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum implicatum (Réunion, Madagascar).
• Angraecum inapertum (Mascarenes, Madagascar).
• Angraecum infundibulare (Nigeria to E. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum keniae (Kenya).
• Angraecum kranzlinianum (N. & NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum laggiarae (Madagascar).
• Angraecum lecomtei (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum leonis (Comoros, Madagascar).
• Angraecum letouzeyi (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum liliodorum (Réunion).
• Angraecum linearifolium (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum lisowskianum (Nigeria to Equatorial Guinea).
• Angraecum litorale (Madagascar).
• Angraecum longicaule (Madagascar).
• Angraecum longinode (Réunion).
• Angraecum macilentum (Réunion).
• Angraecum madagascariense (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum magdalenae (Madagascar).
  • Angraecum magdalenae var. latiilabellum (N. Madagascar). Epiphytic.
  • Angraecum magdalenae var. magdalenae (C. Madagascar). Epiphytic.
• Angraecum mahavavense (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum mauritianum (Mascarenes, Madagascar).
• Angraecum meirax (Comoros, Madagascar).
• Angraecum melanostictum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum metallicum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum microcharis (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum minus (Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe).
• Angraecum minutum (Réunion).
• Angraecum mirabile NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum moandense (W. Trop. Africa to Uganda).
• Angraecum modicum (Liberia).
• Angraecum mofakoko (Congo).
• Angraecum moratii (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum multiflorum (W. Indian Ocean).
• Angraecum multinominatum (W. Trop. Africa to Gabon).
• Angraecum muscicolum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum musculiferum (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum myrianthum (SW. Madagascar).
• Angraecum nanum (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum nasutum (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum oberonia (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum obesum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum oblongifolium (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum obversifolium (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum ochraceum (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum onivense (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum palmicolum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum palmiforme (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum panicifolium (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum parvulum (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum pauciramosum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum pectinatum (Mascarenes, Comoros, Madagascar).
• Angraecum penzigianum (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum pergracile (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum perhumile (C. Madagascar.
• Angraecum perparvulum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum petterssonianum (W. Rwanda).
• Angraecum peyrotii (Madagascar).
• Angraecum pingue (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum pinifolium (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum platycornu (Madagascar).
• Angraecum podochiloides (W. & WC. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum popowii (Madagascar)..
• Angraecum potamophilum (NW. Madagascar).
• Angraecum praestans (Madagascar).
• Angraecum protensum (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum pseudodidieri (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum pseudopetiolatum (Réunion).
• Angraecum pseuofilicornu (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum pterophyllum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum pumilio (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum pungens (Nigeria to WC. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum pusillum (E. Zimbabwe to S. Africa).
• Angraecum pyriforme (W. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum ramosum (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum ramulicolum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum reygaertii (Cameroon to Uganda).
• Angraecum rhizanthium (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum rhizomaniacum (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum rhynchoglossum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum rigidifolium (C. Madagascar.
• Angraecum rostratum (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum rubellum (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum rutenbergianum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum sacciferum (São Tomé to Kenya and S. Africa).
• Angraecum sacculatum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum salazianum (Réunion).
• Angraecum sambiranoense (N. & C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum sanfordii (Cameroon).
• Angraecum scalariforme (N. Madagascar, Comoros).
• Angraecum scottianum : (Comoros)
• Angraecum sedifolium (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum serpens (Madagascar).
• Angraecum sesquipedale (E. & S. Madagascar).
  • Angraecum sesquipedale var. angustifolium (SW. Madagascar). Epiphytic.
  • Angraecum sesquipedale var. sesquipedale (E. & S. Madagascar). Epiphytic.
• Angraecum sesquisectangulum (Madagascar).
• Angraecum setipes (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum sinuatiflorum (SE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum sororium (Madagascar).
• Angraecum spectabile (NW. Tanzania).
• Angraecum spicatum (Réunion).
• Angraecum stella-africae (Malawi to Transvaal).
• Angraecum sterrophyllum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum stolzii (Tanzania to Zambia).
• Angraecum striatum (Réunion).
• Angraecum subulatum (W. & WC. Trop. Africa).
• Angraecum tamarindicolum
• Angraecum tenellum (Réunion, Madagascar).
• Angraecum tenuifolium (Réunion).
• Angraecum tenuipes (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum tenuispica (Madagascar).
• Angraecum teres (Tanzania ).
• Angraecum teretifolium (Madagascar).
• Angraecum triangulifolium (Madagascar).
• Angraecum trichoplectron (Madagascar).
• Angraecum triquetrum (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum umbrosum (Malawi).
• Angraecum undulatum (Mascarenes).
• Angraecum urschianum (NE. Madagascar).
• Angraecum verecundum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum vesiculatum (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum vesiculiferum (C. Madagascar).
• Angraecum viguieri (Madagascar).
• Angraecum viride (Tanzania).
• Angraecum viridiflorum (Réunion).
• Angraecum xylopus (Comoros).
• Angraecum yuccifolium (Mauritius).
• Angraecum zaratananae (N. Madagascar).
• Angraecum zeylanicum (Seychelles (Mahe), Sri Lanka).fr:Angraecum