Orchids by Genera
The South African Indigenous Orchids are listed below in alphabetical order starting with the genus and then following on with the species in alphabetical order under each genus. If you are looking for a specific genus use the list on the left and click on the genus. That will give you all species with that genus. Click on the little arrow to the left of the genus name in the list and a drop down box will give you all the species belonging to that genus. Here you can click on a specific species and get the information for that species only.
This section of the website is still under development. Please check back often for updates. We are still looking for photographs of some 200 of the 500 species and if you find a species description without a photograph and would like to contribute a specific photo for that species please contact us. All photographs are properly credited.
Acampe pachyglossa
- Acampe pachyglossa by Peter Ashton
Description
Acampe pachyglossa is a robust epiphytic plant, sometimes forming small clumps of four to five plants growing together. The stems are stiff and quite woody, while the roots are 6-8 millimetres in diameter. The succulent leaves are placed in two opposite rows along the stem and measure up to 250 millimetres long by 15-25 millimetres wide. The leaves are deeply folded and appear ‘vee-shaped’ in cross-section, with unequally bilobed tips. The flowers are fleshy, with pale yellow sepals and petals that have reddish-purple bands. The lip is white or yellow-white, with a few small purplish spots. Formerly known as Acampe praemorsa.
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.
Aerangis kirkii
Description
Slender epiphyte with wooden stem 10-50 mm long and roots 1-2 mm in diameter. Leaves 2-7, dark to greyish green, spear shaped with the apex being the widest. They are unequally bilobed and up to 150 mm long. Inflorescence one or more lateral, up to 170 mm long and carrying 2-6 flowers. Flowers are white with a pink tinged spur.
Aerangis mystacidii
- Aerangis mystacidii by Lourens Grobler
Description
Fairly robust epiphyte, with woody stems up to 30 mm long. Leaves spear-shaped, unequally bilobed and up to 150 mm long. One to several lateral inflorescences, horizontal or hanging, up to 200 mm long. Flowers white. Spur slender, up to 80mm long. Similar to A. somalensis, but has a shorter spur.
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