| Tridactyle bicaudata (Lindl.) Schltr. |
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| Information on the genus : Tridactyle |
| Basionym : Angraecum bicaudatum Lindl. |
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Status
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| Status for SA : | accepted (present) |
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| Status for TA : | accepted (present) |
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| Synonym(s) Homotypic |
 Angraecum bicaudatum Lindl. (1836) |
| Tridactyle bicaudata (Lindl.) Schltr. subsp. bicaudata |
| Angorchis bicaudata (Lindl.) Kuntze |
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| Synonym(s) Heterotypic |
| =Tridactyle fimbriata (Rendle) Schltr. |
| =Angraecum fimbriatum Rendle (1895) |
| =Listrostachys fimbriata (Rendle) Kraenzl. (1902) |
| =Tridactyle polyschista Mansf. |
| =Tridactyle pulchella Schltr. (1915) |
| =Angraecum laciniatum Kraenzl. (1929) |
| =Listrostachys cirrhosa Kraenzl. (1904) |
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| Taxon infra-specific |
| Tridactyle bicaudata (Lindl.) Schltr. subsp. bicaudata |
| Tridactyle bicaudata subsp. rupestris H.P. Linder |
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| Ecology and distribution |
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| Biology : |
Epiphytic, sometimes lithophytic herb forming large hanging clumps; stems woody, 10-80 cm long, erect or hanging, with few branches; aerial roots ± smooth; leaves numerous, distichous, spreading, ± linear, very variable in size and shape: in exposed places ± succulent, usually c. 6x1 cm, V-shaped in cross section; in shade longer and laxer, ± flat, 9-18x1-1,5 cm; inflorescences axillary, 3,5-13 cm long, laxly 8-25-flowered; flowers in 2 rows, all facing the same way, star-like, resupinate, white, pink, yellow, with green tinge, c. 10 mm Ø, fragrant; bracts thin, 1-2 mm long; pedicel and ovary 2-4-7 mm long; sepals ovate-acute, 4-8x2-4 mm; petals linear, 4-6x1-2 mm, thin; lip 3-6 mm long, 3-lobed in middle, with triangular auricles at base; midlobe triangular, 1-3 mm long; side lobes 3-7 mm long, tail-like, apex divided into numerous threads; spur cylindrical, straight, 7-28 mm long; fruit spheroidal-ellipsoid, 12x7 mm. |
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| Ecology : |
In a wide range of undisturbed habitats; forest; rain-forest; riverine forest; evergreen forest; bamboo forest; forest of Aningeria altissima, Morus mesozygia, etc.; forest partially cleared for coffee plantations; dry open forest; miombo, moist Brachystegia woodland; wooded savanna; rarely copper steppe savanna with low copper content; rocks; plantations; secondary forest; lava plains; on, e.g. Hagenia abyssinica; 0-2900 m alt. |
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One of the commonest epiphytic orchids in tropical Africa. – T. bicaudata is the Emblem of the Eastern Province Orchid Society (S. Africa; Wright in Afric. Orchid Alliance Mag. December 1999: 4).
I. & E. la Croix note (1997: 336) that “Linder has separated a lithophytic form that grows along the South African coast as subsp. rupestris Linder, but similar forms occur in tropical Africa and seem to be ecological variants. We have seen erect, lithophytic plants with short, succulent leaves growing outside woodland, with longer, laxer plants growing in the woodland nearby”. S. African botantists seem to distinguish two subspecies, whereas in, e.g., Flora Zambesiaca (11/2: 451 f., 1988), they are not maintained. |
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Gulf of Guinea Islands ?; S. Africa, Swaziland. |
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| More info on : |
| see under Jstor_African Plant Initiative |
| see under chg |
| see under Flore d'Afrique Centrale |
| see under Fgui |
| see under Flora of Mozambique |
| see under Orchidées d'Afrique Centrale |
| see under African Plants - a Photo Guide |
| see under Flora of Zimbabwe |
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| Map |
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More information >> ( work in progress )
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| Record n°175929 |
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