Accession Data:
Angraecum sesquipedale Thouars
sect. Angraecum
- Common Name: Darwin's Orchid
- Family: Orchidaceae Juss.
- Synonym(s): Macroplectrum sesquipedale (Thouars) Pfitzer
- Country of Origin: Madagascar - Fort Dauphin to Antalaha
- Habitat: hot lowlands on the east coast, 0-100m
- Description: This orchid has a nectar tube of 10-12 inches in length with only the distal end filled with nectar. Charles Darwin postulated that there must be an as yet undiscovered moth with a proboscis cabable of extending to 11 inches that visits this flower. This moth (Xanthopan morgani praedicta) was 'discovered' over 41 years later in 1903 even though its existence had been postulated earlier.
From: Darwin, C. R. 1862. On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. London: John Murray.
I fear that the reader will be wearied, but I must say a few words on the Angræcum sesquipedale, of which the large six-rayed flowers, like stars formed of snow-white wax, have excited the admiration of travellers in Madagascar. A whip-like green nectary of astonishing length hangs down beneath the labellum. In several flowers sent me by Mr. Bateman I found the nectaries eleven and a half inches long, with only the lower inch and a half filled with very sweet nectar. What can be the use, it may be asked, of a nectary of such disproportional length? We shall, I think, see that the fertilisation of the plant depends on this length and on nectar being contained only within the lower and attenuated extremity. It is, however, surprising that any insect should be able to reach the nectar: our English sphinxes have probosces as long as their bodies: but in Madagascar there must be moths with probosces capable of extension to a length of between ten and eleven inches!
- Culture: Warm or intermediate epiphytic grower. Culture not difficult if several rules are followed:
- Once it reaches flowering size, disturb roots as little as possible. Use coarse bark to minimize repotting requirements
- Provide plenty of light, especially Aug-Oct, plant will tolerate some foliar burning.
- Fertilize and water heavily during summer months. Provide high humidity and good air movement.
Accession Data:
- Accession # 201900021
- Source: OrchidWeb (commercial)
- Accession Date: 02-21-2019
- Bench: 3116 - EVO: Propagation - Mist
- Currently: active - marginal
- Qty: 1 confirmed on 11-29-2024
- Restrictions:
- CITES Appendix II Listed Plant
- CITES Appendix II Listed Plant
Classification:
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Liliopsida
- SubClass: monocots
- Order: Asparagales
- SubOrder:
- Family: Orchidaceae
- SubFamily: Epidendroideae
- Tribe: Vandeae
- SubTribe: Angraecinae
References (internal):
- EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Madagascar
References (external):
- The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Thursday, 21 February, 2019.
- WCSP (2019). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on Thursday, 21 February, 2019.
- Angraecum sesquipedale at Orchid Species Encyclopedia. Last accessed on Thursday, 21 February, 2019.
data regenerated on Sat, 24 May 2025 15:22:59 -0400 [bcm v4.0]
Images:
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Current Accessions in the Orchidaceae
Subfamily Cypripedioideae
Tribe Cypripedieae
- Paphiopedilinae: Paphiopedilum Delrosi
- Paphiopedilinae: Paphiopedilum Harrisianum
- Paphiopedilinae: Paphiopedilum haynaldianum
Subfamily Cypripedioideae
Tribe Phragmipedieae
- Phragmipediinae: Phragmipedium Calurum
- Phragmipediinae: Phragmipedium Schroederae
- Phragmipediinae: Phragmipedium Lemoinierianum
- Phragmipediinae: Phragmipedium Dominianum
- Phragmipediinae: Phragmipedium Demetria
- Phragmipediinae: Phragmipedium longifolium
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Arethuseae
- Bletiinae: Bletilla striata
- Chysinae: Chysis bractescens
- Sobraliinae: Sobralia decora
- Sobraliinae: Sobralia decora x leucantha
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Coelogyneae
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne asperata
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne flaccida
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne lawrenceana
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne mayeriana
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne ovalis
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne rochussenii
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne speciosa
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne tomentosa
- Coelogyninae: Coelogyne usitana
- Coelogyninae: Dendrochilum cobbianum
- Coelogyninae: Dendrochilum magnum
- Coelogyninae: Dendrochilum sp.
- Coelogyninae: Dendrochilum wenzelii
- Coelogyninae: Dendrochilum yuccifolium
- Coelogyninae: Pholidota imbricata
- Thuniinae: Thunia alba
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Collabieae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Cymbidieae
- Catasetinae: Catasetum hybrid
- Catasetinae: Catasetum hybrid
- Catasetinae: Catasetum hybrid
- Cymbidiinae: Cymbidium aloifolium
- Cymbidiinae: Cymbidium dayanum 'Bolin'
- Cymbidiinae: Cymbidium finlaysonianum
- Cymbidiinae: Cymbidium sp.
- Eulophiinae: Eulophia andamanensis
- Eulophiinae: Eulophia guineensis
- Eulophiinae: Eulophia petersii
- Maxillariinae: Bifrenaria inodora
- Maxillariinae: Brasiliorchis schunkeana
- Maxillariinae: Maxillaria callichroma
- Maxillariinae: Maxillaria elatior
- Maxillariinae: Maxillaria houtteana
- Maxillariinae: Maxillaria pachyphylla
- Maxillariinae: Maxillaria sanguinea
- Maxillariinae: Prominaea stapelioides x guttata
- Maxillariinae: Maxillaria tenuifolia
- Maxillariinae: Maxillaria variabilis
- Maxillariinae: Mormolyca hedwigiae
- Maxillariinae: Mormolyca ringens
- Maxillariinae: Mormolyca rufescens
- Maxillariinae: Ornithidium sophronitis
- Maxillariinae: Trigonidium egertonianum
- Oncidiinae: Brassia jipijapensis
- Oncidiinae: Brassia maculata majus
- Oncidiinae: Brassia verrucosa
- Oncidiinae: Lockhartia lunifera
- Oncidiinae: Lockhartia oerstedii
- Oncidiinae: Lockhartia oerstedii
- Oncidiinae: Miltonia clowesii
- Oncidiinae: Miltonia flavescens
- Oncidiinae: Oncidium altissimum
- Oncidiinae: Oncidium hybrid
- Oncidiinae: Oncidium hybrid
- Oncidiinae: Oncidium maculatum
- Oncidiinae: Oncidium sphacelatum
- Oncidiinae: Oncidium tigrinum
- Oncidiinae: Oncidium unidentified
- Stanhopeinae: Gongora cassidea
- Stanhopeinae: Gongora histrionica
- Stanhopeinae: Gongora quinquenervis var uncinata
- Stanhopeinae: Gongora rufescens
- Stanhopeinae: Gongora scaphephorus
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea assidensis (tigrina x wardii)
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea costaricensis
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea ecornuta
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea grandiflora
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea graveolens
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea intermedia
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea jenischiana
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea lietzei
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea oculata
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea platyceras
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea tigrina
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea tigrina var. nigroviolacea
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea tigrina x wardii
- Stanhopeinae: Stanhopea wardii
- Zygopetalinae: Pescatoria wallisii
- Zygopetalinae: Zygopetalum maculatum
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Dendrobieae
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum affine
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum affine
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum annamense
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum careyanum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum cheiri
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum corolliferum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum elegantulum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum falcatum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum flammuliferum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum gibbosum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum gibbosum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum grandiflorum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum hahlianum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum lasiochilum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum lepidum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum lepidum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum lepidum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum lilacinum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum lobbii
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum longiflorum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum longissimum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum morotaiense
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum purpureorhachis
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum roxburghii
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum roxburghii
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum tremulum
- Bulbophyllinae: Bulbophyllum vaginatum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium anceps
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium anosmum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium aphyllum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium bifalce
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium bigibbum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium brunneum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium chrysotropis
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium x delicatum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium farmeri
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium hymenanthum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium jenkinsii
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium kingianum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium lindleyi
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium lindleyi
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium moniliforme
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium nakaharae
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium plicatile
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium rigidum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium speciosum var. hillii
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium speciosum var. pedunculatum
- Dendrobiinae: Dendrobium wassellii
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Epidendreae
- Glomerinae: Agrostophyllum planicaule
- Laeliinae: Barkeria melanocaulon
- Laeliinae: Brassavola cucullata
- Laeliinae: Brassavola nodosa
- Laeliinae: Brassocattleya hybrid
- Laeliinae: Dinema polybulbon
- Laeliinae: Encyclia kennedyi
- Laeliinae: Epidendrum 'Max Valley'
- Laeliinae: Epidendrum oerstedii
- Laeliinae: Epidendrum radicans
- Laeliinae: Epidendrum rigidum
- Laeliinae: Epidendrum schlecterianum
- Laeliinae: Guarianthe bowringiana
- Laeliinae: Isabelia pulchella
- Laeliinae: Isochilus carnosiflorus
- Laeliinae: Laelia rubescens
- Laeliinae: Myrmecophila christinae
- Laeliinae: Myrmecophila tibicinis
- Laeliinae: Scaphyglottis confusa
- Laeliinae: Scaphyglottis longicaulis
- Pleurothallidinae: Acianthera aphthosa
- Pleurothallidinae: Acianthera casapensis
- Pleurothallidinae: Anathallis linearifolia 'D&M'
- Pleurothallidinae: Dracula pusilla
- Pleurothallidinae: Masdevallia hybrid
- Pleurothallidinae: Masdevallia infracta
- Pleurothallidinae: Myoxanthus affinis
- Pleurothallidinae: Octomeria unidentified
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis longipedicellata
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis nuda
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis pedunculata
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis prolaticollaris
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis titan
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis truncata
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis unidentified
- Pleurothallidinae: Pleurothallis unidentified
- Pleurothallidinae: Specklinia brighamii
- Pleurothallidinae: Specklinia grobyi
- Pleurothallidinae: Specklinia tribuloides
- Pleurothallidinae: Stelis argentata
- Pleurothallidinae: Stelis argentata
- Pleurothallidinae: Stelis immersa
- Pleurothallidinae: Stelis megachlamys
- Pleurothallidinae: Stelis quadrifida
- Pleurothallidinae: Trichosalpinx chamaelepanthes
- Pleurothallidinae: Zootrophion hirtzii
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Malaxideae
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Podochileae
- Eriinae: Ceratostylis retisquama
- Eriinae: Eria carinata
- Eriinae: Campanulorchis globifera
- Eriinae: Eria javanica
- Eriinae: Pinalia bractescens
- Eriinae: Pinalia copelandii
- Eriinae: Trichotosia velutina
Subfamily Epidendroideae
Tribe Vandeae
- Aerangidinae: Diaphananthe pellucida
- Aerangidinae: Microterangis hariotiana
- Aeridinae: Cleisocentron gokusingii
- Aeridinae: Phalaenopsis lueddemanniana
- Aeridinae: Robiquetia cerina
- Aeridinae: Sarcochilus hartmannii
- Aeridinae: Tuberolabium kotoense
- Aeridinae: Rhynchorides Thai Noi
- Aeridinae: Vanda tricolor var. suavis
- Angraecinae: Angraecum distichum
- Angraecinae: Angraecum sesquipedale
- Angraecinae: Jumellea arachnantha
- Polystachyinae: Neobenthamia gracilis
Subfamily Orchidoideae
Tribe Cranchideae
- Cranchidinae: Cladobium graminifolium
Subfamily Orchidoideae
Tribe Cranichideae
- Goodyerinae: Goodyera pubescens
- Goodyerinae: Ludisia discolor
- Prescottiinae: Prescottia plantaginifolia
Subfamily Orchidoideae
Tribe Diseae
- Satyriinae: Cynorkis calanthoides
- Satyriinae: Satyrium membranaceum
Subfamily Orchidoideae
Tribe Orchideae
- Orchidinae: Habenaria medusa
Subfamily Vanilloideae
Tribe Vanilleae
- Vanilla phalaenopsis
- Vanilla planifolia
- Vanilla planifolia variegata
- Vanilla pompona
- Vanilla roscheri
= indicates flowering in past 14 days
= images available for this accession
= map available for this accession
= accession added within past 90 days