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This species is accepted, and its native range is Kenya to S. Tropical Africa.
A specimen from Kew's Herbarium

[FTEA]

Orchidaceae, V. S. Summerhayes. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
A dwarf epiphyte with very short stems less than 5 mm. long, sometimes appearing leafless.
Morphology Roots
Roots very long, flattened, 1–2 mm. across, much more prominent than the leaves.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1–3, deciduous, linear, obtuse, 1–3.5 cm. long, 0.3–0.5 cm. wide, twisted and articulated at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences pendent, secund, 3–13 cm. long, densely 10–20-flowered; peduncle 1–2.5 cm. long, wiry, very slender; bracts sheathing, ovate, obtuse, 1–1.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers cream or pale green; pedicel and ovary 6–7 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal elliptic-oblanceolate, obtuse, 4–4.2 mm. long, 1–1.7 mm. wide; lateral sepals linear, acute, 6.5–7 mm. long, 1 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals obliquely lanceolate, acute, 3.5–4.5 mm. long, 1.5–1.6 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 3-lobed, 4 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide; side lobes obscurely auriculate; mid-lobe linear.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Spur
Spur cylindrical, straight or incurved, 7–13 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column 0.5–0.6 mm. long; rostellum 3-lobed, with truncate side lobes; stipites 2, short; viscidium 1, oblong.
Figures
Fig. 149/11–21, p. 600.
Habitat
In montane forest, on Podocarpus and other trees, also in conifer plantations; 900–2100 m.
Distribution
K3/K5 T3

[FZ]

Orchidaceae, I. la Croix & P.J. Cribb. Flora Zambesiaca 11:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit
Dwarf epiphytic herb; stem very short; roots numerous, radiating out and clinging close to bark of host tree, c. 2 mm in diameter.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 2–4, sometimes deciduous in dry season, 10–40 × 3–7 mm, elliptic, blue-green, rather fleshy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 3–13 cm long, several- to many-flowered, the flowers secund.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers green, yellow-green or cream, sweetly scented.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel and Ovary
Pedicel and ovary 4–7 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts sheathing, blackish, c. 2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Dorsal sepal 4–5 × 1–1.7 mm, narrowly elliptic, erect; lateral sepals 4–7 × 1–2 mm, spreading, falcate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 3.5–4.5 × 1–1.6 mm, triangular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Lip 4–7 × 1.5–2 mm, linear or narrowly triangular, with 2 small, toothlike lobes near the base; spur (7)9–10(13) mm long, straight or incurved, slender but sometimes slightly wider in the middle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Column
Column very short; rostellum 3-lobed; stipites 2, viscidium 1.

Native to:

Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Sphyrarhynchus amaniense (Summerh.) Bytebier appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
May 8, 1944 Moreau, W.M. [68] Angraecopsis amaniensis K000306429 Unknown type material
Piers, F. [113], Kenya Angraecopsis amaniensis 10655.000
Moreau, W.M. [68], Tanzania Angraecopsis amaniensis 12319.000 Unknown type material
Drummond, R.B. [2219], Tanzania Angraecopsis amaniensis 15245.000
Schelpe, G. [6964], Mozambique Angraecopsis amaniensis 25284.000
Morris, B. [110], Malawi Angraecopsis amaniensis 28340.000
Williamson, G. [389], Zambia Angraecopsis amaniensis 33172.000
Cribb, P.J. [10190], Tanzania Angraecopsis amaniensis 38451.000
Gassner, A. [119], Malawi Angraecopsis amaniensis 42793.000
La Croix, E.ýI [48], Malawi Angraecopsis amaniensis 42794.000
la Croix, I. [178], Zimbabwe Angraecopsis amaniensis 44482.000
Gassner, A. [161], Malawi Angraecopsis amaniensis 44656.000
la Croix, I. [168], Malawi Angraecopsis amaniensis 46224.000
Malawi Angraecopsis amaniensis 47338.000
Moreau, W.M.ýR.E. [325], Tanzania Angraecopsis amaniensis 8670.000
Ball, J.S. [371], Zimbabwe Angraecopsis amaniensis 8671.000
Carroll, E.W., Kenya Angraecopsis amaniensis 8672.000
Moreau [325], Tanzania Angraecopsis amaniensis K000306428 Unknown type material

First published in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 186: 12 (2018 publ. 2017)

Accepted by

  • Govaerts, R., Nic Lughadha, E., Black, N., Turner, R. & Paton, A. (2021). The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-00997-6 Scientific Data 8: 215.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Fischer, E., Rembold, K., Althof, A. & Obholzer, J. (2010). Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Kakamega forest, Western province, Kenya Journal of East African Natural History 99: 129-226.

Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0