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Botanical Name
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Ansellia gigantea var. nilotica
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Other names
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Leopard orchid
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Orchidaceae; epiphytic orchid, sometimes terrestrial
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Dimensions
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A cluster of stems reaching about 60cm or more, in South Africa usually smaller; in tropical Africa apparently considerably larger clumps are common
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Description of Stem
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Stems green to white, emanating from pseudo bulbs and sheathed in old leaf bases, longitudinally ridged down to air roots that cling to the host tree bark
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Description of Leaves
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Up to 7 long, leathery and narrow leaves per pseudo bulb, wrapped round the stem at the base and tapering to a sharpish point, margins smooth, entire
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Description of flowers
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A few flowers per panicle, although some records report large numbers, even up to a hundred; each with five narrow segments/tepals, greenish yellow with striking scattered, purplish to brown spots; a centered modified and 3-lobed lip segment provides the distinctive orchid characteristic; panicle may be up to 85cm; flowering early spring to midsummer
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Description of seed/fruit
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Description of roots
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Thin white roots characteristically pointing upwards
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Variation
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Propagation and Cultivation
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Will attach itself to a suitable tree in favourable conditions in a garden
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Tolerances
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Uses
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Ecological rarity
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Pests and Diseases
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Other
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Attaching itself to a fork in a tree, not parasitic
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Location
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Forest, coastal and riverine areas
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Distribution
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Country
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South Africa, widespread in tropical Africa, notably Nigeria, DRC, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
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