"growing wild along the Atlantic coastal plain from southern New Jersey south to Florida, and then west along the Gulf into Louisiana. It [Cleistes divaricata] loves fire-adapted pinelands, and is a fairly typical component of damp savannas. This is a sun-loving species, most commonly seen in habitats that are wet for a good portion of the year.
The plant produces a slender, smooth stem, about 2 feet tall, from a cluster of knotty roots. A single, strap-shaped leaf will be found about halfway up the stem, with a single... flower at the very top, or very rarely, with two or three blossoms. The flower bears three... sepals arising in the "back," green to purplish-brown, and up to about 3 inches long. These sepals may be straight or curling. Two white petals project forward, closely covering a pink, trough-shaped lip below, such that the opening to the pollen and stigma appears somewhat hidden. The genus name for this plant comes from a Greek word meaning "closed," an allusion to the architecture of the petals and lip. Bumblebees are probably the most important pollinators for this showy species, which is reported to have a floral fragrance something like a daffodil. As with many other orchid species, the flowers, once opened, tend to last a relatively long time before fading and falling. This coastal resident has 50 or so near relatives, all of which are from South America, mostly Brazil. One of its closest relatives also occurs in the Southeastern United States, and in pine savannas. This curious cousin, however, is distinguishable by being a bit shorter, and with smaller flowers, which give off a fragrance of vanilla. ... Herbarium at the University of South Carolina, in the Department of Biological Sciences... offers free plant identifications. Visit www.herbarium.org or call 803-777-8196." source : http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=96732§ion=garden ********** regards, VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
