Aerangis brachycarpa (A.Rich.) T.Durand & Schinz

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Photo: Caroline Conradie
Mbala, Mbala District, Northern Province

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Synonyms:	Aerangis flabellifolia Rchb.f. Aerangis rohlfsiana (Kraenzl.) Schltr Angraecum brachycarpum (A.Rich.) Rchb.f Angraecum flabellifolium (Rchb.f.) Rolfe Angraecum rohlfsianum Kraenzl. Rhaphidorhynchus rohlfsianus (Kraenzl.) Finet
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Epiphytic herb; stem woody, erect or pendent, to 20 cm long but usually shorter; roots 5–6 mm in diameter. Leaves 4–12, usually distichous, up to 25 cm long, 2–6 cm wide near the apex, obovate or spathulate with a sheathing base, unequally 2-lobed at the apex with the lobes rounded or acute; lamina fleshy or leathery, dark green, often with black dots. Inflorescences to 25 cm long, arching or pendent, 2–12-flowered. Peduncle to 10 cm long with 2–3 tight sheaths; rhachis slightly zigzag. Pedicel and ovary 3.5–7 cm long. Flowers in 2 rows, 1.5–3.5 cm apart, white, sometimes tinged with pinkish or brown. Sepals and petals 20–45 × 4–8 mm, all narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, often with margins recurved so that they look even narrower; dorsal sepal erect; lateral sepals and petals soon becoming reflexed. Lip deflexed, 20–45 × 5–10 mm, lanceolate, acuminate; spur 12–24 cm long, straight or slightly curved. Fruit to 20 cm long, narrowly cylindrical.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	brachycarpa: short fruited, rather ironic as the species has one of the longest fruit for the genus in Zambia.
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Dec - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Angola
Malawi distribution:	N,C
Growth form(s):	Epiphyte.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 383 - 384. La Croix, I. et al. (1983). Malawi Orchids Volume 1 Epiphytic Orchids National Fauna Preservation Society of Malawi Pages 18 - 19. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 117. Stewart, J. (1979). A Revision of the African Species of Aerangis (Orchidaceae) Kew Bulletin 34(2) Pages 244 - 250. (Includes a picture). Stewart, J. & Campbell, B. (1996). Orchids of Kenya Timber Press Inc, Portland Oregon, USA ISBN0-88192-357-5 Pages 7 - 8. (Includes a picture). Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 193 - 194. as Aerangis sp. (Williamson 615) (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Zambia: Aerangis brachycarpa

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African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Aerangis brachycarpa
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Aerangis brachycarpa
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Aerangis brachycarpa
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Aerangis brachycarpa
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iNaturalist: Aerangis brachycarpa
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Aerangis brachycarpa
JSTOR Plant Science: Aerangis brachycarpa
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Aerangis brachycarpa
Plants of the World Online: Aerangis brachycarpa
Tropicos: Aerangis brachycarpa
Wikipedia: Aerangis brachycarpa