Lycaste brevispatha
Object Details
- Description
- This orchid has flattened, egg-shaped pseudobulbs which become furrowed as they age. Once the plant’s deciduous leaves fall, they reveal 2 sharp spines at the top of each pseudobulb. The flowers vary in color, but are often white with pink marks.
- Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)
- January to August; peak in April
- Pollination Syndrome
- Bee (Euglossa)
- Provenance
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Range
- C America
- Habitat
- Wet montane forests; 2625ft (800m)
- Topic
- Orchids
- Living Collections
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2018-1172A
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Common Name
- The Short-Spathed Lycaste
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Lilianae
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Subfamily
- Epidendroideae
- Genus
- Lycaste
- Species
- brevispatha
- Life Form
- Epiphytic
- Bloom Characteristics
- Inflorescence is up to 3" (7.6 cm) long with a single pink and brown-green flower. Flowers often do not open fully, vary in color, and are about 2" (5 cm) across.
- Foliage Characteristics
- Deciduous. Fall at end of growing season.
- Fragrance
- Fresh apples
- Metadata Usage
- CC0
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2018-1172A