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Ansellia africana

Ansellia africana 'Pepper Tree'

Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cymbidieae
SubTribe: Cyrtopodiinae
Genus: Ansellia
Species: A. africana
Alliance:
Binomial name
Ansellia africana
Lindl. 1844


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[]

Image Name Description
Ansellia africana alba Ansellia africana var. 'alba' Sepals and petals are yellow, lip is yellow
Ansellia africana 'Alkmaar' Ansellia africana 'Alkmaar' Sepals and petals are yellow with medium size brown spots, lip is yellow
Ansellia africana Ellis Ansellia africana 'Ellis' Sepals and lip is yellow, petals are yellow with small size brown spots near the center
Ansellia africana 'Mt Carmel' Ansellia africana 'Mt Carmel' Sepals and petals are yellow with large brown patterns, lip is yellow
Ansellia africana 'Pepper Tree' Ansellia africana 'Pepper Tree' Sepals and petals are yellow with linear brown patterns, lip is yellow
Ansellia africana 'Spitskop' AM Ansellia africana 'Spitskop' Sepals and petals are green with large brown spots, lip is yellow. Plant is awarded with AM from the AOS
Ansellia africana Sopp Ansellia africana 'Sopp' Sepals and petals are yellow with thin brown spots, lip is yellow
Ansellia africana Stevenson Ansellia africana 'Steven' Sepals and petals are yellow with reddish spots, lip is yellow
Ansellia africana 'Tiger Stripes Ansellia africana 'Tiger Stripes' Sepals and petals are yellow with heavily spotted brown patterns, lip is yellow

Naming[]

Ansellia africana plate

Ansellia africana in Lindenia Iconographie des Orchidées

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[]

  1. Ansellia africana var. australis Summerh.
  2. Ansellia africana var. nilotica Baker 1875
  3. Ansellia africana var. nilotica Baker 1875
  4. Ansellia confusa N.E.Brown 1886
  5. Ansellia congoensis Rodigas 1886
  6. Ansellia gigantea Rchb.f 1847
  7. Ansellia gigantea subsp. nilotica (Baker) Senghas 1990
  8. Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica (Baker) Summerh. 1937
  9. Ansellia humilis Bulliard 1891
  10. Ansellia nilotica [Baker]N.E.Brown 1886
  11. Cymbidium sandersoni Harv. 1868
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