!Ansellia africana Lindl. 1844

Photo by Kjell Nillson

Inflorescence

Photo by Linda's Orchid Page

Flower Closeup

Photo by Chuck McCartney

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Common Name The African Ansellia - Leopard Orchid

Flower Size 2 1/2" [6.25 cm]

Found in Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Rwanda, Zaire, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namimbia, Natal, Swaziland and Transvaal South Africa along dry warm coasts and rivers to elevations of 2200 meters but usually below 700 meters but occasionally as high as 2200 meters, as a highly variable, giant sized, robust species varying in size and flower color, with cane-like, fusiform-cylindrical, many noded, yellow pseudobulbs carrying 6 to 7, narrowly ligulate-lanceolate, acute, plicate leaves. They are delicately scented and appreciate higher light to bloom which is in late spring and summer on a seemingly terminal yet axillary from nodes near the apex, to 32" [to 85 cm] long panicle that is laxly many [10 to 100] flowered and carries fragrant, light floral scented flowers.

AN epiphyte in the high canopy of taller trees. They are commonly found in areas that suffer long periods without water but in cultivation they are best kept moist while growing and only a slight drop off in water and fertilizer while not in growth.

This plant has dense mats of erect white roots making a trash basket, much like Grammatophyllum, .

The Zulu in South Africa herbalists use the pseudobulb to make a tea that is used as an emetic.

Also Zulu lore has it that a spurned lover can wear pseudobulbs of this species to prevent the ex-lover from having children.

In northern Zimbabwe and Zambia this species leaves and stems are used to make a broth that is a supposed cure for madness.

The Pedi tribe of Zimbabwe use this species to make an infusion that curtails coughing in children.

Synonyms Ansellia africana var. australis Summerh.; Ansellia africana var. nilotica Baker 1875; Ansellia africana var. nilotica Baker 1875; Ansellia confusa N.E.Brown 1886; Ansellia congoensis Rodigas 1886; Ansellia gigantea Rchb.f 1847; Ansellia gigantea subsp. nilotica (Baker) Senghas 1990; Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica (Baker) Summerh. 1937; Ansellia humilis Bulliard 1891; Ansellia nilotica [Baker]N.E.Brown 1886; Cymbidium sandersoni Harv. 1868

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Refugium Botanicum Reichenbach 1872 drawing fide; Otia Botanica Hamburgensia Rchb.f 1878; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1857; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1857 as A gigantea; Xenia Orchidaceae Rchb.f 1862; Xenia Orchidaceae Rchb.f 1862 as A gigantea; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as A confusa; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as A congoensis; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as A gigantea; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as A humilis; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915 as A niloitica; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 as A congoensis drawing fide; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 as A gigantea drawing fide; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 as A confusa drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 26 No 2 1957 as A nilotica; AOS Bulletin Vol 26 No 5 1957 as A gigantea drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 5 1958 drawing fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 4 1959 as A humilis; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 10 1963; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 10 1963 as A congoensis; AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 10 1963 as A gigantea; AOS Bulletin Vol 33 No 6 1964 photo fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; AOS Bulletin Vol 37 No 12 1968 photo fide; Orchids of East Africa Piers 1968 photos fide; Orchids of East Africa Piers 1968 as A gigantea; Orchids of East Africa Piers 1968 as A nilotica; AOS Bulletin Vol 38 #1 1969 photo fide; The Epiphytic Orchids of Malawi Morris 1970; AOS Bulletin Vol 39 No 10 1970; AOS Bulletin Vol 44 #4 1975 as A africana var niloticaphoto fide; The Orchids of South Central Africa Williamson 1977 as A gigantea var nilotica drawing/photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 47 No 6 1978 as A humils; AOS Bulletin Vol 50 No 3 1981 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 50 No 3 1981 as A gigantea photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 50 No 3 1981 as A gigantea var niloticaphoto fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 51 No 9 1982 as A gigantea photo fide; The Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Schelpe, Linder and Hall 1982 as A africana var australis; Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Linder, Schelpe & Hall 1982 as A gigantea var nilotica photo fide; Wild Orchids of Southern Africa Stewart, Linder, Schelpe & Hall 1982 as A gigantea photo fide; Malawi Orchids Vol 1 La Croix 1983 drawing fide; Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 2 Cribb 1984 drawing fide; Simon & Schuster's Guide to Orchids Fanfani & Rossi 1988; Orchids Travel By Air A Pictoral Safari Mulder, Mulder-Roelfsema and Schuiteman 1990 as A gigantea var nilotica photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 23 1393 - 1456 Brieger 1990 drawing/photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 23 1393 - 1456 Brieger 1990 as A africana ssp australis; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 23 1393 - 1456 Brieger 1990 as A gigantea; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 23 1393 - 1456 Brieger 1990 as A gigantea ssp nilotica; The Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb, Laurent 1992 drawing as A gigantea/photo fide; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids Pridgeon 1992; AOS Bulletin Vol 62 No 5 1993 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 63 No 10 1994 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 64 no 1 1995 photo fide; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; The Orchids Of Kenya Stewart 1996photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 66 No 11 1997 drawing fide; African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1997 photo fide; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 2 Pope 1998 drawing/photo fide; Orchids of Southern Africa Linder & Kurzweil 1999 drawing/photo fide; Les Orchidees de Cote d'Ivorie Perez-Vera 2003 photo/drawing fide; Botanica's Orchids Laurel Glen 2004; Flora's Orchids Nash and La Croix 2005; AOS Bulletin Vol 76 No 7 2007 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 77 No 3 2008 photo; Field Guide to the Orchids of Northern South Africa and Swaziland McMurty, Grobler, Grobler & Burns 2008; Orchid Digest Vol 78 #3 2014 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 80 #2 2016; AOS Bulletin Vol 85 #1 2016 drawing/photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 #5 2017 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 88 #7 2019 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 87 #10 2018 photo fide;

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Ansella africana var nigra Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding

Ansellia africana var. nilotica Baker 1875

Inflorescence

Another View Photo courtesy of Roger Crisp

AOS Bulletin Vol 32 No 10 1963 as A niolotica; Orchids Travel By Air A Pictoral Safari Mulder, Mulder-Roelfsema and Schuiteman 1990 photo fide; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 23 1393 - 1456 Brieger 1990 as A gigantea ssp nilotica

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