Aeranthes

Aeranthes

Plant Info

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Epidendroideae
Tribe:	Vandeae
Subtribe:	Angraecinae
Genus:	Aeranthes Lindl.

Species

See text.

Aeranthes Lindley, 1824 is an orchid genus with 47 species, mostly from shady, tropical humid forests in Zimbabwe, Madagascar and islands in the Western Indian Ocean.

The name "aeranthes" means 'aerial flower', because it seems to float in the air.

Aeranthes has a single short, erect, monopodial stem. The leathery, shining, opposite leaves are arranged in two rows of five to seven leaves, with a length of 15-25 cm. New leaves are formed at the top of the stem in a monopodial growth pattern.

The threadlike flower stalk grows downward to a length of almost 30cm. It carries one or two almost translucent, greenish yellow flowers. The sepals and the shorter petals taper off into five long, narrow shoots. Some give an agreeable, sweet scent in the evening or early morning.

Species

Aeranthes adenopoda (Madagascar).
Aeranthes aemula (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes africana (Zimbabwe - Vuma Mts.).
Aeranthes albidiflora (Madagascar).
Aeranthes ambrensis (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes angustidens (NE. Madagascar).
Aeranthes antennophora (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes arachnitis (Mascarenes).
- Aeranthes arachnitis var. arachnitis (Mascarenes). Epiphytic hemicr. or cham.
- Aeranthes arachnitis var. balfourii (Rodrigues). Epiphytic hemicr. or cham.
Aeranthes bathieana (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes biauriculata (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes brevivaginans (NW. & C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes carnosa (Madagascar).
Aeranthes caudata (Comoros, Madagascar).
Aeranthes crassifolia (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes denticulata (NE. Madagascar).
Aeranthes dentiens (Comoros, Madagascar).
Aeranthes ecalcarata (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes erectiflora (Madagascar).
Aeranthes filipes (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes fragrans (Mascarenes).
Aeranthes grandiflora (Comoros, Madagascar).
Aeranthes henrici (N. & NW. Madagascar).
Aeranthes hermannii (Réunion).
Aeranthes laxiflora (N. & E. Madagascar).
Aeranthes leandriana (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes longipes (EC. & E. Madagascar)
Aeranthes moratii (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes multinodis (Madagascar).
Aeranthes neoperrieri (NE. Madagascar).
Aeranthes nidus (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes orophila (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes orthopoda (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes parkesii (Zimbabwe - Mt. Nyangani).
Aeranthes parvula (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes peyrotii (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes polyanthemus (C. & SE. Madagascar).
Aeranthes ramosa (C. & NE. Madagascar).
Aeranthes robusta (C. & NE. Madagascar).
Aeranthes sambiranoensis (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes schlechteri (N. Madagascar).
Aeranthes setiformis (C. Madagascar).
Aeranthes setipes (N. & NE. Madagascar).
Aeranthes strangulata (Réunion).
Aeranthes subramosa (Madagasca).
Aeranthes tenella (Réunion, N. Madagascar).
- Aeranthes tenella var. borbonica (Réunion). Epiphytic hemicr. or cham.
- Aeranthes tenella var. tenella (N. Madagascar). Epiphytic hemicr. or cham.
Aeranthes tricalcarata (SW. Madagascar).
Aeranthes tropophila (NW. Madagascar).
Aeranthes virginalis D.L.Roberts (Comoros Islands)