[1]Selby Gardens Comet Orchid In Bloom.
Prominently on display in the tropical Conservatory at Selby Gardens’ is a magnificent specimen of Angraecum Sesquipedale. The Comet Orchid is a beautiful orchid with a fascinating history supporting the theory of natural selection. The Comet Orchid will only be blooming for a short time, so make sure to see it while it is on display.
[2]First discovered in exotic Madagascar during the early 1800’s the Comet Orchid has white, waxy flowers that are fragrant at night, luring nocturnal rainforest insects with their seductive scent. Early European biologists were puzzled by the fact that the nectar reward for the hungry pollinators was contained at the bottom of the flowers’ unusually long nectar spurs, out of their reach.
Charles Darwin, the English naturalist, became interested in the orchid species and took notice of the unusual trait. In 1862 he theorized that in order for this plant to have evolved such a long nectar spur, there must be an insect with an equally long proboscis (mouthpart) to pollinate it. Ridiculed by the scientific community at his suggestion that such a bizarre creature must exist he persevered. Twenty-one years after his death, a subspecies of the Morgan’s sphinx moth with a 12 inch proboscis was discovered in the Madagascar forests. It was indeed the pollinator of the gorgeous comet orchid.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a respected center for research and education as well as a famous orchid showplace. The Gardens is located at 811 South Palm Avenue in Sarasota, Florida, and is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Christmas day. For further information call 941.366.5731 or visit www.selby.org [3].
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