Angraecum sesquipedale
"Star of Madagascar "
Angraecum sesquipedale, sometimes also called Star of Madagascar or Sternorchidee, is a plant belonging to the orchid family (Orchidaceae), which is native as an epiphyte or Lithophyt on the east coast of Madagascar. Particularly striking in this orchid is up to 40 cm long lip spur, in its lowest part nectar is produced. Angraecum sesquipedale has found scientific special attention since Charles Darwin had been suggested on the basis of a cultivated plant in England, that there must be a butterfly with an extremely long proboscis in Madagascar pollinating this plant. Thirty years later (1903 ), a moth was discovered, was true to this prediction. It has been scientifically named Xanthopan morganii praedicta (lat. = praedictus of Predicted ) described; at a time when Charles Darwin had long been dead. The flower-visiting by the dreamer was only in 1997 first documented photographically ..
Description
Angraecum sesquipedale is a monopodial growing up to a meter tall plant with a densely foliated, vigorous strain. The belt-shaped, leathery leaves are up to 30 cm long and 4-5 cm wide. The two-to sechsblütigen inflorescences are shorter than the leaves. The star-shaped, fleshy flowers are in diameter about twelve inches tall and very fragrant at night. Her color is white to cream. The ovate lanceolate sepals ( sepals ) (( outer tepals ) ) are 7-9 cm long and 2 cm wide. The petals ( petals ) (( inner tepals ) ) are similarly shaped as the sepals, about 7 to 8 cm long and 2.5 to 3 cm wide. The lip ( labellum ) is 6 to 8 cm long, 3.5 to 4 cm wide, hollow, fiddle -shaped, tapered blunt and includes at the bottom of the column ( gynostemium ). A narrow entrance leads to the spur to 45 cm long, hanging down and curved spur.
The heyday in Madagascar is from June to November.
Angraecum sesquipedale has a chromosome number of 2n = 38, 42
Dissemination
The occurrence of Angraecum sesquipedale limited to the coastal forest on the east side of the island of Madagascar up to a height of 100 m. In the northernmost part of the island it is not common.
System
Angraecum sesquipedale You was discovered by Louis Marie Aubert Petit- Thouars (1758-1831) and in 1822 in the book " Histoire des plantes particulière orchidées recueillies sur les trois australes îles d'Afrique " first described. The Style epithet sesquipedale means one and a half feet and plays on the length of the spur on.
The following further descriptions of this kind are considered as synonyms:
- Aeranthes sesquipedalis ( Thouars ) Lindl. (1824 )
- Macroplectrum sesquipedale ( Thouars ) Pfitzer (1889 )
- Angorchis sesquepedalis ( Thouars ) Kuntze (1891 )
- Mystacidium sesquipedale ( Thouars ) Rolfe (1904 )