Brassavola

Brassavola subsp. var.
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Brassavola is a genus of 20 orchids (family Orchidaceae). The name comes from the Venetian nobleman and physician Antonio Musa Brassavola. This genus is abbreviated B in trade journals.

These species are native to the lowlands of Central America and tropical South America. They are epiphytes, and a few are lithophytes. A single, apical and succulent leaf grows on an elongated pseudobulb.

The orchid yields a single white or greenish white flower, or a raceme of a few flowers. The three sepals and two lateral petals are greenish, narrow and long. The base of the broad fringed lip enfolds partially the column. This column has a pair of falciform ears on each side of the front and contains twelve (sometimes eight) pollinia.

Most Brassavola orchids are very fragrant, attracting pollinators with their citrusy smell. But they are only fragrant at night, in order to attract the right moth. Longevity of flowers depends on the species and is between five to thirty days.

In 1698 Brassavola nodosa was the first tropical orchid to be brought from the Caribbean island Curaçao to Holland. Thus began the propagation of this orchid and the fascination for orchids in general.

Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Brassavola (A. M. Brassavola, Venetian botanist). Orchidaceae. About twenty tropical American epiphytes, closely allied to Laelia, and demanding similar treatment. The fls. are large, solitary or racemose, the sepals and petals narrow and greenish, the lip white: Lvs. thick, solitary. For the cultivator, the treatment of Bras- savola is identical with that of the Mexican laelias. Plenty of sun to mature the young growths, and water when growing, with a somewhat drier atmosphere when resting, will be found to suit them. Suspend on blocks. B. Digbyana, Lindl., is Laelia Digbyana; B. glauca, Lindl., is Laelia glauca. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Gallery

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  Lady-of-the-night Orchid Brassavola nodosa

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  Daddy Longlegs orchid (Brassavola cucullata)

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  photo 3

References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Brassavola. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Brassavola QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)