''Aerangis'', abbreviated as Aergs in horticultural trade, is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of the

Orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...

family (Orchidaceae). The name of this genus has been derived from the Greek words 'aer' (air) and 'angos' (urn), referring to the form of the lip. It is the

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...

of the subtribe

Aerangidinae Aerangidinae is classified as a subtribe within the tribe Vandeae in the family Orchidaceae. However, it is likely to soon become a synonym of Angraecinae with the genera below re-allocated to this sub-tribe. As traditionally circumscribed, it ...

, which has recently been subsumed in the subtribe

Angraecinae Angraecinae is a subtribe in the family Orchidaceae. The subtribe consists of approximately 47 genera.Chase, M. W., Cameron, K. M., Freudenstein, J. V., Pridgeon, A. M., Salazar, G., Van den Berg, C., & Schuiteman, A. (2015)"An updated classifica ...

. Approximately 50 species in this genus are known mostly from tropical

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, but also from the

Comoro Islands The Comoro Islands are a group of volcanic islands in the Mozambique Channel, an arm of the Indian Ocean lying between Madagascar and the African mainland. Three of the islands form the Union of the Comoros, a sovereign nation, while Mayotte bel ...

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

and

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> Species are usually

epiphytic An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphyt ...

, sometimes

lithophytic Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic (or epipetric) or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks (and are also ...

small orchids, resembling ''

Vanda ''Vanda'', abbreviated in the horticultural trade as ''V.,'' is a genus in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. There are 90 species, and the genus is commonly cultivated for the marketplace. This genus and its allies are considered to be among the ...

''s in appearance. Their large, waxy, star-shaped flowers are generally white, cream-colored or yellow. They show a long, nectar-filled spur, often longer than the flower itself. There is a single stem with many flowers on a long raceme. The

lip The lips are a horizontal pair of soft appendages attached to the jaws and are the most visible part of the mouth of many animals, including humans. Mammal lips are soft, movable and serve to facilitate the ingestion of food (e.g. sucklin ...

is flat and resembles the

petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...

s and

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s. They give off an agreeable smell during the night. There are six to ten parallel-veined, fleshy, evergreen leaves. These orchids are not often found in collections, even though they are rather easy to grow. Around 15 species are commonly available. Also ''Aerangis descendants from intergeneric hybridization have been registered: * '' ×Aerangaeris'' (''Aerangis'' × ''

Rangaeris ''Rangaeris'' is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae, naive to sub-Saharan Africa. Species Species accepted as of June 2014: # '' Rangaeris amaniensis'' ( Kraenzl.) Summerh., 1949 - Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uga ...

'') * '' ×Amesangis'' (''Aerangis'' × ''

Amesiella ''Amesiella'' is a genus of orchids Endemism, endemic to the Island of Luzon, in the Philippines. Taxonomy Previously it was believed that the species of this genus belonged to the genus ''Angraecum'' within the subtribe Angraecinae. The ge ...

'') * '' ×Angrangis'' (''Aerangis'' × ''

Angraecum ''Angraecum'', also known as comet orchid, is a genus of the family Orchidaceae native to tropical and South Africa, as well as Sri Lanka. It contains 223 species. Etymology Despite the genus's distribution being largely confined to Africa and i ...

'') * '' ×Diaphanangis'' (''Aerangis'' × ''

Diaphananthe ''Diaphananthe'' is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. As currently conceived, it contains 33 accepted species, all endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Species *'' Diaphananthe arbonnieri'' Geerinck *'' Diaphananthe bi ...

'') * '' ×Euryangis'' (''Aerangis'' × ''

Eurychone ''Eurychone'' is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. The genus was founded in 1918 by Rudolf Schlechter Friedrich Richard Rudolf Schlechter (16 October 1872 – 16 November 1925) was a German taxonomist, botanist, ...

'') * '' ×Summerangis'' (''Aerangis'' × '' Summerhayesia'') * '' ×Thesaera'' (''Aerangis'' × ''

Aeranthes ''Aeranthes'', abbreviated Aerth in the horticultural trade,http://www.rhs.org.uk/RHSWebsite/files/87/87be8b1e-908e-4e04-9ee6-30c438354458.pdf is an orchid genus with 47 species, mostly from shady, tropical humid forests in Zimbabwe, Madagascar a ...

'')

References

* (1865) Flora 48: 190. * (Eds) (2014) Genera Orchidacearum Volume 6: Epidendroideae (Part 3); page 344 ff., Oxford: Oxford University Press.

External links

* *
''Aerangis citrata''Orchidées Nature Producteur d'Orchidées, ''Aerangis''Société Belge d'Orchidophilie, les Aerangis
{{Taxonbar, from=Q20810 Vandeae genera Epiphytic orchids