Name: Angraecum distichum Lindl.

Synonyms: Aeranthes disticha (Lindl.) Rchb.f.; Mystacidium distichum (Lindl.) Pfitzer

Etymology: The genus name Angraecum originates from a Malagasy term for epiphytic orchids. The Latin distichum means "distichous" and refers to the strictly two-ranked arrangement of the leaves.

First description: John Lindley, 1835.

Origin/Distribution: Tropical West and Central Africa to Uganda and Angola.

Location/Habitat: Epiphytic in humid rainforests and mountain forests as well as in older cocoa and coffee plantations, from low elevations up to approximately 1,600 m. The species thrives in intermediate to warm temperatures of about 17–27 °C, high humidity, and shaded to semi-shaded light.

Description and notes: Angraecum distichum forms dense, branching cushions of flat stems with succulent, imbricated leaves. Small white flowers, fragrant in the evening, appear singly from the leaf axils. We prefer to cultivate the species mounted with a little sphagnum or in a very airy basket. The roots should remain consistently slightly moist, while good air circulation prevents stagnant water.