Acrolophia
Acrolophia is a genus of seven species that are endemic to South Africa and found mainly in the Western Cape floral region with only Acrolophia cochlearis extending into KwaZulu Natal. Plants are terrestrial with short rhizomes and thick fleshy roots. Leaves are strap shaped and borne in a fan shape with inflorescences arising from the tips of maturing growths. They have no pseudobulbs and are dependent on some form of moisture during the dry winter period in the Western and Eastern Cape. Acrolophia is closely related to Eulophia.
- Acrolophia capensis by Karsten Wodrich
Credit
Johnson, S.D., Bytebier, B., Stärker, H. (2010). Orchids of South Africa: A field guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town, South Africa.
Acrolophia bolusii
- Acrolophia bolusii by Warren Mayers
Description
Robust terrestrial up to 800 mm tall. Leaves are overlapping from the base up and up to 300 mm long. Inflorescence is branched and carries several flowers, which are brownish in colour and have yellow or white lips.
Acrolophia capensis
- Acrolophia capensis by Karsten Wodrich
Description
Robust terrestrial up to 800 mm tall. Leaves are keeled and up to 450 mm long. Inflorescence can have up to 10 branches and carries a moderate amount to many flowers. Flower colours can be variable, with green to purplish brown petals and sepals. The lip is white with purplish callus and side lobes.
Acrolophia cochlearis
- Acrolophia cochlearis by Martin Rautenbach
Description
Robust terrestrial that grows up to 1m tall. Leaves are overlapping and keeled, up to 400 mm long. Inflorescence has up to 5 branches and is laxly flowered. The small flowers are non-resupinate and have brownish petals and sepals, with a dull yellow lip.
Acrolophia lamellata
Description
Robust terrestrial, up to 830mm tall. Leaves often in a basal fan, keeled, linear to spear-shaped, margins finely toothed, up to 200mm long by 15mm. Inflorescence usually simple, occasionally with branches, laxly many flowered. Petals and sepals green to purplish brown, lip mid-lobe white, side lobes purple, 5-7 rows of papillae. Similar to Acrolophia capensis. Formerly Acrolophia capensis var. lamellata.
Acrolophia lunata
Description
Robust terrestrial, which grows up to 1,3m tall. Leaves are usually arranged in a basal fan and are up to 300mm long. Inflorescence carries many flowers up to 12mm long, which are white or pale pink. The lip is three lobed with 5 rows of papillae with darker reddish markings on the fringes of the papillae. Spur is club shaped. Formerly Acrolophia barbata.
Acrolophia micrantha
Description
Robust terrestrial up to 600 mm tall. Leaves overlap and are up to 300 mm long. Inflorescence has up to 5 branches and carries many flowers. Petals and sepals are purplish-green to brown, with a white lip and the lip on the side lobes purplish.
Acrolophia ustulata
- Acrolophia ustulata by Oskar Kurze
Description
Slender terrestrial, up to 100mm tall. Leaves overlapping, almost folded together, linear to spear-shaped, up to 50mm long by 5mm. Inflorescence simple, 5-10 flowers, uniformly coloured, dark maroon , rarely greenish yellow, 8mm long, petals and sepals similar, lip 3-lobed.
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