Cyrtorchis chailluana [Hkr. f] Schlechter 1914 SECTION Cyrtorchis

Flower Closeup Photo courtesy of Guy Ramette Vovan and his Gabon Orchids Website

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Common Name Chaillu's Cyrtochis {French orchid Collector in Madagascar 1900's]

Flower Size 3" [7.5 cm] spur 6" [15 cm]

Found in Central to West Africa as a medium to large sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte in tropical forests at elevations of 1150 to 1250 meters where it benefits from a cooler drier winter and has elongated stems carrying ligulate to oblanceoalte leaves and blooms on a to 10" [25 cm] long, several flowered [7 to 10], racemose axillary inflorescence giving rise to waxy, fragrant, white turning apricot flowers occuring in the winter.

Often said to be the same as C letouzeyi but differs most distinctly in having axillary inflorescence instead of from the stem.

Synonyms Angorchis chailluana [Hkr. f] Kuntze 1891; Angraecum arcuatum Lindley 1862; Angraecum chailluanum Hook.f. 1866; Angraecum crenatum Rchb.f. ex B.S.Williams 1885; Cyrtorchis crenata (Rchb.f. ex B.S.Williams) Garay 1972; Cyrtorchis helicocalcar Bellone 2001; Cyrtorchis letouzeyi Szlach. & Olszewski 2001; Listrostachys chailluana [Hkr f] Reichb.f. 1885

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; AOS Bulletin Vol 39 No 10 1970 photo; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans, Campbell 2006

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