Rhyncholaelia digbyana

Object Details

Description
This medium to large sized orchid is very fragrant at night to attract its moth pollinator, but also sensitive. It is said that if a light is turned on at night, the plant will temporarily stop producing scent. It is also slow to recover from repotting and other disturbances. The entire plant is covered in a powdery bloom.
Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)
February to July; peaks from May to July
Pollination Syndrome
Moth
Provenance
From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
Range
SE Mexico to Honduras
Habitat
Humid lowlands; 33-3280ft (10-1000m)
Topic
Orchids
Living Collections
See more items in
Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection
Data Source
Smithsonian Gardens
Accession Number
2014-0897A
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Common Name
Digby's Beaked Laelia
Queen of the Night
Group
[vascular plants]
Class
Equisetopsida
Subclass
Magnoliidae
Superorder
Lilianae
Order
Asparagales
Family
Orchidaceae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Genus
Rhyncholaelia
Species
digbyana
Life Form
Epiphytic
Bloom Characteristics
Erect inflorescence is 3" (7.5 cm) long with a single large, white to green, hairy-looking flower. Each flower is 7" (18 cm) across.
Fragrance
Lemon to lily of the valley
Plant Size
10-18" x 3-4" (25-46 x 8-10 cm)
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ax70ac26bca-a01f-462f-8885-15b073865d06
Record ID
ofeo-sg_2014-0897A
Photographed by: Creekside Digital
Photographed by: Creekside Digital
Photographed by: Creekside Digital
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