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Arpophyllum giganteum

Smithsonian Gardens

Photographed by: Creekside Digital
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  • Photographed by: Creekside Digital
  • Photographed by: Creekside Digital

    Object Details

    Description

    This orchid has tiny flowers which grow on giant spikes, making an impressive display of pink. The small flowers grow upside down, and have blue pollinia, making The Giant Arpophyllum an interesting display from afar or up close.

    Medicinal / Pharmaceutical

    Leaves have been used to treat dysentary.

    Pollination Syndrome

    Likely bird

    Provenance

    From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin

    Accession Number

    2008-0686A

    Restrictions & Rights

    CC0

    Life Form

    Epiphytic

    Bloom Characteristics

    Inflorescence is 6-16" (15-40 cm) long with many spiralling, pink flowers. Flowers are .33" (.84 cm) across.

    Plant Size

    20-30" x 4-5" (51-76 x 10-13 cm), excluding inflorescence

    Range

    Mexico to NW Venezuela, Jamaica

    Habitat

    foothill forests; 2600-4900ft (800-1500m)

    See more items in

    Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection

    Common Name

    Candlestick Orchid
    Masorquilla
    Pico de Curvo
    The Giant Arpophyllum

    Group

    [vascular plants]

    Class

    Equisetopsida

    Subclass

    Magnoliidae

    Superorder

    Lilianae

    Order

    Asparagales

    Family

    Orchidaceae

    Subfamily

    Epidendroideae

    Genus

    Arpophyllum

    Species

    giganteum

    Data Source

    Smithsonian Gardens

    Topic

    Orchids
    Living Collections

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ax751dc9472-fce8-4606-878a-e641764a6634

    Record ID

    ofeo-sg_2008-0686A

    Discover More

    yellow orchid

    The Art and Science of Orchids

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