Cyrtorchis aschersonii (Kraenzl.) Schlechter (1918: 129)

Azandi, Laura, Stevart, Tariq, Sonké, Bonaventure, Simo-Droissart, Murielle, Avana, Marie-Louise & Droissart, Vincent, 2016, Synoptic revision of the genus Cyrtorchis Schltr. (Angraecinae, Orchidaceae) in Central Africa, with the description of a new species restricted to submontane vegetation, Phytotaxa 267 (3), pp. 165-186 : 173-174

3. Cyrtorchis aschersonii (Kraenzl.) Schlechter (1918: 129) . ( Fig. 3E ) Basionym: Angraecum aschersonii Kränzlin (1889: 160) . Listrostachys aschersonii (Kraenzl.) Durand & Schinz (1894: 48) . Type:— CAMEROON. Malimbe, J.Braun 83 (holotype B†; iconotype K!)

Additional specimens examined:— SIERRA LEONE. Yagoi, in cultivation at Njala , July 1949, Deighton 4831 (K) . LIBERIA. Nimba Mts , 700 m, 15 September 1969, Johansson 613 (K) . NIGERIA. Tora Creek (tributary of Santa Barbara River), Rivers state, 22 January 1983, Baker 45 (K) ; Acriassa , February 1902, Glasnevin s. n. (K) ; Sapoba, s. d., Kennedy 234 (K); ibid., s. d., Sanford 336 (K) ; Ukogugu forest, Obinze, Owerri , Imo state, 27 May 1976, Segerbäck 1230 (K) ; Sine loc., 7 January 1987, Smith 557 (K) . CAMEROON. Bambui Experimental Station: Escarpment Rest house garden, 1,524 m, 15 June 1962, Brunt 494 (K) ; Bambui E.S. Bamenda , 28 July 1961, E.B. C. & SCA 2097 ( YA) ; ibid., 4 July 1961, E.B. C. & SCA 2112 ( YA) ; ibid., s. d., SCA 2216 ( YA) ; Baleveng , 1,400 m, 29 June 1967, Muerillon 892 (K) ; Nguti, Exploitation forestière, Village d’Edjuigang , 155 m, 9 August 2004, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 71 ( BRLU) ; ibid., 1 August 2005, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 311 ( BRLU) ; 20 June 2006, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 375 ( BRLU) ; Sanctuaire de Banyang Mbo Chemin vers le campement 552 dans le Sanctuaire de Banyang Mbo, 245 m, 15 July 2006, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 393 ( BRLU) ; Bipindi, Village de Memel II au N de Bipindi, 140 m, 5 October 2007, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 782 ( BRLU) ; Mont Oku, village d’Oku, 1,695 m, 5 July 2012, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 3646 ( BRLU, P, YA) ; ibid., 5 July 2012, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 5342 ( BRLU) ; village de Kumbo, près du Maryland hotel, 18 August 2012, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 3762 ( BRLU) ; entre les villages de Mintom et Lélé, 15 km au SO de la «maison de Gentil», près de la rivière Kumu, arbre 1 escaladé dans le plot 3, 613 m, 18 July 2013, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 4419 ( BRLU) ; environs de Djoum, UFA gérée par la SFID, 626 m, 14 August 2013, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 4492 ( BRLU) ; réserve de faune d’Ebo, village de Ndokbaguengue, Campement de Djouma, sur le transect «Gachaka», 446 m, 14 August 2014, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 5390 ( BRLU) ; Nkoltsia, colline de, à 5 km au S-SO du village de Gouap et à 18 km au NO de Bipindi, sommet de la colline, expo SW 240, 430 m, 22 October 2012, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 3962 ( BRLU) ; ibid., 23 October 2012, Droissart et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 3963 ( YA) ; ibid., 5 October 2009, Simo et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 1853 ( WAG) ; ibid., 5 October 2010, Simo et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 2434 ( BRLU, K, MBG) ; ibid., 17 September 2011, Simo et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 3145 ( P) ; Ngoyla. Campement à 13 km à l’E du village. Entre le Dja et le plot 1, 499 m, 31 August 2010, Simo et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 2333 ( BRLU) ; Entre Kumbo et Ndop, 13 July 2011, Simo et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 2933 ( BRLU) ; Belo, Mont Oku, entre 1600 et 1800 m, 1,705 m, 7 July 2014, Simo et al. ( Ombrière de Yaoundé ) 5237 ( YA) ; Douala, Edea forest , 27 June 1978, Thomas 151 (K) . EQUATORIAL GUINEA (RIO MUNI). Alum, s. d., Ndong Bokung & Stévart 286 ( BRLU) . GABON. Ogooué-Maritime, Rabi , 4 August 1992, Arends 982 ( WAG) ; Estuaire, adjacent Moka creek, E. of Mondah river , 28 February 1986, van der Laan 1014 ( WAG) ; Tchimbélé , chemin vers la carrière le long du bras mort, 570 m, 8 December 2002, Stévart 1662 ( BRLU) ; ibid., près du bras mort du lac, 570 m, 1 December 2002, Stévart 1728 ( BRLU) ; ibid., 540 m, 17 November 2002, Stévart 1803 ( BRLU) ; Woleu-Ntem, near hydroelectric compound at Tchimbele , 575 m, 21 November 2002, Strijk 497 ( WAG) .

Distribution:— According to Govaerts et al. (2016), Cyrtorchis aschersonii occurs in eight countries ( Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and Democratic Republic of the Congo), although we have not examined any material from Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. We have, however, seen specimens clearly assignable to this species from Equatorial Guinea ( Rio Muni). Cyrtorchis aschersonii is thus distributed in Upper and Lower Guinea Domains.

Habitat and ecology:— Mature, high forest, on trunks and branches of large trees, between 140 and 1,705 m elevation. Flowering peaks in July and August.

Notes:— The type specimen of Cyrtorchis subcylindrifolia De Wildeman (1916: 192) Schlechter (1918: 132) , previously attributed to C. aschersonii , is more closely related to C. henriquesiana (see notes for this species).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Illustrative pictures of some central African taxa of the genus Cyrtorchis. A. C. arcuata. B. C. arcuata subsp. whytei. C. C. aschersonii. D. C. brownii. E. C. chailluana. F. C. hamata. G. C. henriquesiana. H. C. injoloensis. I. C. letouzeyi. J. C. monteiroae. K. C. ringens. L. C. submontana. Photographs ‘A–G’ & ‘I–L’ by Droissart Vincent and ‘H’ by Lourens Grobler.