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 its offshore islands, the genus name is a latinization of the Indonesian and Malay word anggrek ("orchid"), itself ultimately from Javanese ꦲꦔ꧀ꦒꦿꦺꦏ꧀ (anggrék, "orchid"). Description Angraecums are quite varied vegetatively and florally, and are adapted to dry tropical woodland habitat and have quite fleshy leaves as a consequence. Most are epiphytes, but a few are lithophytes. The long-lasting flowers are racemose and grow from the leaf axils. They are mostly white, but a few are yellow, green or ochre. They all have a long spur at the back of the labellum (lip).