Ansellia africana Lindl.

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Ansellia africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Valley Lodge, Mutare

Ansellia africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tiger Kloof, Mutare

Ansellia africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tiger Kloof, Mutare

Ansellia africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road out from Hippo Pools

Ansellia africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road out from Hippo Pools

Ansellia africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road out from Hippo Pools

Ansellia africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road out from Hippo Pools

Ansellia africana

Photo: Lucina Faccio
Claw Dam, Kadoma

Ansellia africana

Photo: Mark Hyde
By road in to Hippo Pools

Ansellia africana

Photo: Mark Hyde
By road in to Hippo Pools

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Ansellia gigantea Rchb. f. var. nilotica (Baker f.) Summerh.
Ansellia humilis W. Bull
Ansellia nilotica (Baker) N.E. Br.
Common names: Leopard orchid (English) Monkey sugarcane (English) Mopane orchid (English) Tree orchid (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
A large epiphyte with numerous slender, erect pseudobulbs up to 80cm long, arising from a mass of upwardly growing roots. The leaves are long and narrow, spaced along the stem-like pseudobulbs. Inflorescences terminal, branched, bearing many large and showy flowers. The great variety in shapes and colours of the flowers has, in the past, led to the description of many species and subspecies. These are now considered synonyms of one variable species, occurring throughout tropical Africa.
Notes: The only epiphytic orchid found in Botswana and possibly threatened by over collecting.
Derivation of specific name: africana: African
Habitat: Usually found in drier and hotter areas of woodland and riverine fringes.
Flowering time:Sep - Feb
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in Tropical Africa and South Africa.
Botswana distribution: N
Growth form(s): Epiphyte.
Endemic status:
Red data list status: Vulnerable
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Wednesday 26 August 2015
Literature:

Ball, J.S. (1978). Southern African Epiphytic Orchids. Conservation Press, Johannesburg. Pages 64 - 65. As Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica (Includes a picture).

Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 76. (Includes a picture).

Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 232 - 233. (Includes a picture).

Biegel, H.M. (1977). Check-list of ornamental plants used in Rhodesian parks and gardens. Rhodesia Agricultural Journal. Research Report No. 3. Page 23.

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 6.

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 4.

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 128.

Fischer, E., Killmann, D., Delepierre, G. & Lebel, J-P. (2010). The Orchids of Rwanda Koblenz Geographical Colloquia Series Biogeographical Monographs 2 Pages 104 - 105. (Includes a picture).

Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Botswana Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 18.

Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Namibia Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 71.

Grosvenor, R.K. (1976). A list of orchids indigenous in Rhodesia. Excelsa 6 Page 78. As Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica

Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 301. (Includes a picture).

Kimberley, M.J. (2003). A List of Epiphytic Orchids of Zimbabwe Excelsa 20 Page 49.

La Croix, I. & Cribb, P.J. (1998). Orchidaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 11(2) Pages 549 - 551. (Includes a picture).

La Croix, I. et al. (1983). Malawi Orchids Volume 1 Epiphytic Orchids National Fauna Preservation Society of Malawi Page 37. (Includes a picture).

La Croix, I. et al. (1991). Orchids of Malawi A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Page 299. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 94.

Morris, B. (1970). Epiphytic Orchids of Malawi The Society of Malawi Page 54. As Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 117.

Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 29, plate 49

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 126.

Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 27. As Ansellia gigantea

Stewart, J. & Campbell, B. (1996). Orchids of Kenya Timber Press Inc, Portland Oregon, USA ISBN0-88192-357-5 Pages 23 - 25. (Includes a picture).

Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 186.

Williamson, G. (1977). The Orchids of South Central Africa J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. Pages 126 - 128. As Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica (Includes a picture).

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 83.

Other sources of information about Ansellia africana:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Ansellia africana
Flora of Caprivi: Ansellia africana
Flora of the DRC: Ansellia africana
Flora of Malawi: Ansellia africana
Flora of Mozambique: Ansellia africana
Flora of Rwanda: Ansellia africana
Flora of Zambia: Ansellia africana
Flora of Zimbabwe: Ansellia africana
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Ansellia africana

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Botswana: Species information: Ansellia africana.
https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=119860, retrieved 4 December 2024

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