Ansellia africana | |||||||||||||||||
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Ansellia africana is the only species in the genus Ansellia.
Description[]
This is a large, perennial epiphyte, or at times a terrestrial plant, growing in sometimes spectacular clumps, attached to the branches of tall trees. The white, needle-like, aerial roots are characteristic for this orchid. They point upwards, taking the form of a trash basket around the tall, many-noded, fusiform, canelike, yellow pseudobulbs, catching the decaying leaves and detritus upon which the plant feeds. These pseudobulbs can develop a gigantic size, up to 60 cm long. This robust orchid can grow very large, sometimes with an estimated weight over a tonne. Even eagle owls (Bubo bubo) have been seen to make their nest in such a clump.
These pseudobulbs carry on their top 6 to 7, narrowly ligulate-lanceolate, acute, plicate, leathery leaves. They give rise to a paniculate inflorescence, up to 85 cm long, with many (10 to 100), muskey scented flowers, 6 cm across. Plant flowers in late spring to summer.
The three-lobed lip grows into three yellow projections. The tepals are yellow or greenish yellow, lightly or heavily marked with brown spots.
Distribution[]
Plant is native to tropical and South Africa, found alongside coasts and rivers in the canopy of trees, usually at elevations lower than 700 m (occasionally up to 2,200 m)
Culture[]
Keep plant in intermediate to warm temperatures and bright light. Plant prefers dry outs between watering. Pot in medium fir bark.
Varities[]
Naming[]
It was named after John Ansell, an English assistant botanist. who found the first specimens in 1841 on the Fernando Po Island in West Africa.
Common Name:Leopard Orchid, The African Ansellia
Synonyms[]
- Ansellia africana var. australis Summerh.
- Ansellia africana var. nilotica Baker 1875
- Ansellia africana var. nilotica Baker 1875
- Ansellia confusa N.E.Brown 1886
- Ansellia congoensis Rodigas 1886
- Ansellia gigantea Rchb.f 1847
- Ansellia gigantea subsp. nilotica (Baker) Senghas 1990
- Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica (Baker) Summerh. 1937
- Ansellia humilis Bulliard 1891
- Ansellia nilotica [Baker]N.E.Brown 1886
- Cymbidium sandersoni Harv. 1868