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Angraecum sesquipedale Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: 66 (1822).
Synonyms:
Aeranthes sesquipedalis (Thouars) Lindl., Bot. Reg. 10: t. 817 (1824).
Macroplectrum sesquipedale (Thouars) Pfitzer in H.G.A.Engler & K.A.E.Prantl (eds.), Nat. Pflanzenfam. 2(6): 234 (1889).
Angorchis sesquepedalis (Thouars) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 652 (1891).
Mystacidium sesquipedale (Thouars) Rolfe, Orchid Rev. 12: 47 (1904).
Description:
Plants forming dense, upright tufts: stem, straight, often reclining, always shorter than the leaves; leaves less rigid, loriform. 25-30 cm long, unequally bilobed-rounded apically. Inflorescences 1-3 flowered shorter than the leaves: peduncle 10-12 cm long, bracts generally equaling a quarter the length of the pedicel, flowers pure white very large (divisions 7-9 cm long). Sepals oval-acuminate, 2 cm wide basally the laterals joined by their internal margin. Petals of the same form, but slightly shorter (7-8 cm) and slightly wider (2.5-2.8 cm). Labellum 6.5-8 cm long, concave and pandurate, 3.5-4 cm wide above the base and 18-24 mm in the upper third, acuminate-obtuse apically; with 2 large, hump-shaped, conical calluses on the sides of the spur oriface and a median attenuate-acute keel in front, running in the base of the spur, with the oriface being nearly as obtrusive as the median keel,the 2 lateral calluses form a margin to separate the spur oriface and the stigma; spur 30-35 cm long, altenuate from the base to the apex. Column thicker (10 mm.) than tall (6 mm), auricles nearly square (5 x 4 mm), rounded in front; with a conical projection, small but obvious in the notch of the rostellum. Anther 5 mm wide, thickened, carinate-obtuse on its connective appendage and slightly emarginate in front; pollina oblong, cauda retracted, each with a hyaline and bilobed retinacle.
Name derivation:
The Latin species name sesquipedale literally means "measuring a foot and a half," or by extension, "exceedingly or excessively long," undoubtedly referring to the long nectary, or spur, which though not of that length itself, certainly approaches 18 inches when the distance from the tip of the dorsal sepal to the tip of the spur is considered. The species was named by the French explorer and botanist Aubert-Aubert du Petit-Thouars m 1822.
Habitat:
This orchid is found in the hot lowlands along almost the entire east coast of Malagasy Island from Taôlanaro (Fort Dauphin) near the south end of the island to as far north as Antalaha. Plants are also reported from Sainte-Marie Island, which lies slightly offshore of the north-central east coast. Plants grow on the trunks of trees in light shade or diffused light at the edge of woods, usually at less than 350 ft. (100 m). They are always found in locations where there is plenty of air movement and are found most often on sloping tree trunks and crotches with roots creeping over the bark and then dangling in air, sometimes for several feet (meters). The plants grow in coastal areas with heavy annual rainfall that is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with no pronounced dry season; flowering: June- November.
Cultivation:
Read more of Cultivation of Angraecum sesquipedale Thouars,
Notes:
Angraecum sesquipedale is the traditional "King of the Angraecums," and certainly one of the best. The attention bestowed upon this delightful orchid has won it many fanciful names, from "vegetable starfish" to "comet orchid", "Star of Bethlehem orchid," rocket orchid", and others. It is the largest-flowered of the angraecums. Angraecum sesquipedale lives up to its title of "King of the Angraecums" in many ways. It is a bold, handsome, elegant species that commands respect by its vegetative appearance alone, but when in flower it is truly spectacular, with its sharp, angular lines and extremely heavy substance, and at night it emits a very spicy, masculine, sometimes overpowering, scent.
One reason for its popularity, in addition to the appearance of the plant itself and its beautiful, waxy white blossoms, is that it grows in abundance in the more accessible eastern coastal areas of Madagascar. It has thus been more readily available over the years and, consequently, better known than some other angraecoids. So striking and fascinating was Angraecum sesquipedale to the early botanists and visitors to the island that it and Angraecum superbum Thou. were among the first Madagascan orchids to be introduced into European greenhouses, by the Englishman Rev. William Ellis, in the middle of the nineteenth century (1854).
Angraecum sesquipedale is fairly easy to grow once basic requirements are satisfied. This plant is one of the curiosities of the orchid world. Although it reaches a large size after many years, Angraecum sesquipedale is distinctive in that it begins to bloom while quite small 15—20 cm. It starts with one flower on one inflorescence, and the number of both increases from year to year. A large, well grown plant carries 2 or more inflorescences with as many as 14—18 large flowers. The blooms are outstanding by reason of their star shape, satiny texture, and exceedingly long spur, or nectary. Unlike some other monopodial orchid plants, the lower leaves are not quick to drop off as the plant gains height, and an old plant often retains practically all the leaves developed over the years. Since nowadays large plant size seems to be a trait that is frowned on, and since this species rarely produces keikis, another, young Angraecum sesquipedale should be propagated or acquired a few years before the old one outgrows its home, for at least one of this species is indispensable to any orchid collection. Angraecum sesquipedale flowers around Christmastime in the northern hemisphere, although there is another, later variety that comes into bloom around Easter.
Distribution:
E. & S. Madagascar
References:
Bechtel, H., P. Cribb, and E. Launert. 1980. Manual of cultivated orchid species. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. Hamilton, R. 1988. When does it flower? 2nd ed. Robert M. Hamilton, 9211 Beckwith Road, Richmond, B.C., Canada V6X 1V7. Hawkes, A. [1965] 1987. Encyclopaedia of cultivated orchids. Faber and Faber, London. Hillerman, F. and A. Holst. 1986. An introduction to the cultivated Angraecoid orchids of Madagascar. Timber Press, Portland, Ore.; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 24.01-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
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Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.