Welcome to OrchidsForum.com. We are a friendly online community for Orchid Growers all over the world. If you haven't joined yet we invite you to register and join our community. Hope to see you on our forums!

Aerangis confusion, um confusa

Discussion in 'Orchid Species' started by Reyna, Dec 3, 2011.

Tags:
  1. Reyna

    Reyna Orchid Obsessed Supporting Member

    Messages:
    984
    Likes Received:
    86
    Location:
    Arkansas, USA
    So, this plant came from a certain angraecoid seller in the Carolinas. It was labeled as Aerangis laurentii, which doesn't actually exist and it clearly isn't a Summerhaysia laurentii. Either last year or the year before, I determined based on La Croix's "African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation", that it is Aerangis confusa. Anyone else have a different opinion? I have included the measurements as well as a couple of pictures. And unfortunately the plant was at its prime last week when I had a house full of guests and I didn't get good photos taken. These photos and measurements are taken from this blooming. I'd love to get someone else to either confirm my identification or maybe identify it as something else.

    Largest leaves are between 14-15cm long, 4.5 cm wide.
    Spikes measure an average of 25 cm and have 11, 8, 10 and 12 flowers respectively
    Flowers average 1.5-2 cm apart.

    Flower measurements:
    Vertical spread 3-3.5 cm
    Horizontal spread 4-4.5 cm
    lip is 1.5cm long and approx 5 mm wide
    column is 5 or 6 mm long
    sepals are 5mm and petals are 3-4 mm wide
    spur is 6cm long
    Aerangis confusa flowers sm.jpg Aerangis confusa leaves sm.jpg Aerangis confusa single sm.jpg Aerangis confusa spikes sm.jpg
     
  2. T. migratoris

    T. migratoris Active Member

    Messages:
    588
    Likes Received:
    64
    Location:
    Mother Lode area, California
    Oh boy ... I had one of these in years past and it perished under lights before I had a chance to build the greenhouse. Total bummer. Very nicely done.
     
  3. mrbreeze

    mrbreeze Anglican Supporting Member

    Messages:
    1,362
    Likes Received:
    35
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Ditto for me. I had one. It is possible I still do. But mine was supposedly 100% ID'd as biloba by Erich of the former Hoosiers. That was via emailed pictures however. And I don't recall it having nearly so much color as yours.
     
  4. xmpraedicta

    xmpraedicta Prairie angraecoid nut Supporting Member

    Messages:
    1,745
    Likes Received:
    591
    Location:
    Saskatoon, SK
    There were some plants that I saw in situ this summer that were told to me as being confusa, and the leaves were indistinguishable from brachycarpa...more rigid with black spots than your photo, Reyna.
     
  5. Reyna

    Reyna Orchid Obsessed Supporting Member

    Messages:
    984
    Likes Received:
    86
    Location:
    Arkansas, USA
    Well, drat. Hmmm. Calvin and Mike do you have photos of the plants or flowers for comparison? I'm confident this is not a biloba because both the flowers and leaves are markedly different. I could go dig up a picture of biloba -- but you both know what they look like already. :)
     
  6. T. migratoris

    T. migratoris Active Member

    Messages:
    588
    Likes Received:
    64
    Location:
    Mother Lode area, California
    Your plant is most certainly not biloba.
     
  7. Reyna

    Reyna Orchid Obsessed Supporting Member

    Messages:
    984
    Likes Received:
    86
    Location:
    Arkansas, USA
    Yep, clearly not biloba. :)

    After posting, I have gone back to the books and I really think it is confusa. Using La Croix's Key to the Species it clearly comes out as confusa based on measurements and description etc. And it does not match any of the species in the Cribb/Hermans Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar -- which would be consistent since confusa comes from Kenya etc. And the description is consisent with the description of confusa in Stewart's in the Angraecoid bible, though there is no key per se for the genus.
     
  8. Uluwehi

    Uluwehi angraecoids, dendrobiums and more Supporting Member

    Messages:
    1,973
    Likes Received:
    124
    So well-grown and flowered!

    I've bookmarked this conundrum. When I've had some quality time with my books, I'll let you know what I think :)
     
  9. Reyna

    Reyna Orchid Obsessed Supporting Member

    Messages:
    984
    Likes Received:
    86
    Location:
    Arkansas, USA
    Thanks Jacob -- I'd appreciate your input. :)
     
  10. aerangis

    aerangis New Member

    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Definately Confusa.

    Ask me how I know.... :)
     
  11. Reyna

    Reyna Orchid Obsessed Supporting Member

    Messages:
    984
    Likes Received:
    86
    Location:
    Arkansas, USA
    Okay -- I'll bite. :) How do you know. . . .
     
  12. xmpraedicta

    xmpraedicta Prairie angraecoid nut Supporting Member

    Messages:
    1,745
    Likes Received:
    591
    Location:
    Saskatoon, SK
    maybe he/she's Joyce Stewart (may she RIP), visiting us from the beyond.
     
  13. This_guy_Bri

    This_guy_Bri weirdo

    Messages:
    868
    Likes Received:
    5
    Location:
    here
    i wanna know too
    please?
     
  14. Uluwehi

    Uluwehi angraecoids, dendrobiums and more Supporting Member

    Messages:
    1,973
    Likes Received:
    124
    We still haven't heard from you how you arrived at confusa as the ID. Come back :)