Acineta superba
Object Details
- Description
- The Superb Acineta has pendulous flowers which are pollinated by fragrance collecting bees. Each orchid in the genus Acineta produces a unique fragrance that attracts only one specific pollinator, and is most fragrant when the pollinator should be most active. While we probably cannot appreciate the scent of the Superb Acineta in the same way as a bee, we can still enjoy its beauty and fragrance.
- Hardiness
- 30 - 40 F
- Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)
- February to May
- Pollination Syndrome
- Bee (male Euplusia concava bee), collects scent
- Provenance
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Range
- N to W South America
- Habitat
- Seasonally dry cloud forest; 2625-6600ft (800-2000m)
- Topic
- Orchids
- Living Collections
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2019-0363A
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Common Name
- Parakeet Orchid
- The Superb Acineta
- Periquito
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Lilianae
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Subfamily
- Epidendroideae
- Genus
- Acineta
- Species
- superba
- Life Form
- Epiphytic
- Bloom Characteristics
- Pendant inflorescence is 8-28" (20-71 cm) long with 10-30 white flowers spotted in red, and grows from the base of its pseudobulb. The flowers are fleshy, very waxy, and 2-3" (5-7.6 cm) across. They do not usually open fully.
- Fragrance
- Vanilla
- Plant Size
- 24-32" x 16-24" (60-80 x 40-60 cm), excluding inflorescence
- Metadata Usage
- CC0
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2019-0363A