Angraecum magdalenae: Bloom

Object Details

Description

This Madagascan orchid grows on boulders littered with rich pockets of nutritious leaf matter. Madelaine’s Angreacum has large white flowers with a delicious scent that becomes stronger at night. It also has an interesting story. Although the orchid is listed as being discovered by the French naturalist H. Perrier, he made a note at the time that it should be called Madelaine’s Angreacum, for the lovely woman who discovered it on a mountain and then cultivated it, Madelaine Drouhard. Two years later, they were married. Whether Perrier “borrowed” Drouhard’s work, or they were a botanical team is a mystery of history.

Provenance

From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin

Accession Number

2011-1992A

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Life Form

Lithophytic

Bloom Characteristics

Short inflorescence is .8-1.2" long with 1-5 large, fleshy, white flowers. Flowers are 3-4" across and can last 4-6 weeks.

Fragrance

Spicy, jasmine; at night

Range

Madagascar

Habitat

Near quartzite boulders in leaf litter; 800-2000m

See more items in

Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection

Common Name

Madelaine's Angraecum

The Snow-White Angraecum

Group

[vascular plants]

Class

Equisetopsida

Subclass

Magnoliidae

Superorder

Lilianae

Order

Asparagales

Family

Orchidaceae

Subfamily

Epidendroideae

Genus

Angraecum

Species

magdalenae

Smithsonian Gardens

Topic

Orchids

Living Collections

Record ID

ofeo-sg_2011-1992A

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ax72cc0b2ac-d424-46c0-9aee-176d4008cb5a