Gastrodia agnicellus

Gastrodia agnicellus is a species of orchid in the genus Gastrodia, found in Madagascar and described in Curtis's Botanical Magazine by Johan Hermans in 2020.[1] It has been said to be "the ugliest orchid in the world", with "brown, fleshy and grotesque" flowers.[2][3] Like all species in its genus, it is leafless and mycotrophic.[1]

Gastrodia agnicellus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Gastrodieae
Genus: Gastrodia
Species:
G. agnicellus
Binomial name
Gastrodia agnicellus

Agnicellus means "little lamb" or "lambkin".[4] The name "refers to the woolly covering on the rhizome, the ear-like petals and also alludes to the name of the botanical artist who brought the new species to life in her drawing."[1] For her work on this species the illustrator, Deborah Lambkin, won the 2020 Margaret Flockton Award, an annual award "for excellence in scientific botanical illustration" made by the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney.[5][6]

Distribution and habitat

Gastrodia agnicellus has only been found in the Vatovavy-Fitovinany region in the southeast of Madagascar.[1] It lives in the shade in the forests of Madagscar, often under leaf litter and humus.[1]

References
  1. Hermans, Johan (September 2020). Illustration by Deborah Lambkin. "Gastrodia Agnicellus: A new holomycotrophic orchid from southeast Madagascar Orchidaceae". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 37 (3): 385–395. doi:10.1111/curt.12354.
  2. Carrington, Damian (17 December 2020). "'Ugliest orchid in the world' among 2020's new plant discoveries". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  3. "Top 10 species new to science in 2020 | Kew". www.kew.org. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  4. "Latin Definition for: agnicellus, agnicelli (ID: 2329) - Latin Dictionary and Grammar Resources - Latdict". latin-dictionary.net. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  5. "The Margaret Flockton Award: Winners 2020". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  6. Broughan, F. (22 June 2020). "Irish botanical artist awarded Margaret Flockton Award (Sydney, Australia)". Irish Society of Botanical Artists. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
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