Arachnanthe clarkei Rolfe 1888 Photo courtesy of David Jubineau Copyright ©

TO Through LATE

Common Name Clark's Arachnanthe [English Botanist and Orchid Collector in India 1800's]

Flower Size 2.2 to 3" [5.5 to 7.5 cm]

Found in Assam, eastern Himalayas, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikiim, Myanamar, Thailand and southern China at elevations 1500 to 2000 meters as a large to giant sized, cool growing, monopodial epiphyte with an elongate pendant stem carrying oblong-lorate, coriaceous leaves that blooms in the fall to late winter on a 8" [20 cm] long, 3 to 4 flowered inflorescence with slightly fragrant flowers.

Synonyms Arachnis bella (Rchb.f.) J.J.Sm. 1912 ; Arachnis clarkei (Rolfe) J.J. Sm. 1912; Esmeralda bella Reichb.f. 1888; Esmeralda clarkei Rchb. f. 1886; Vanda clarkei Br. 1888

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of Malaya Holtum 1953 as Arachnis clarkei; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 1 1957 drawing as Arachnanthe clarkei; The Orchids of Thailand Seidenfaden & Smitinand 1959 drawing fide; The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 as Arachnis clarkei; AOS Bulletin Vol 52 No 8 1983 photo; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids Pridgeon 1992 as Esmeralda clarkei; The Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb & Laurent 1992; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995 as Esmeralda clarkei; The Wild Orchids of China Tsi, Chen & Mori 1997 as Esmeralda bella; Native Orchids of China in Colour Singchi, Zhanhuo and Yibo 1999 photo fide as Esmeralda bella; Beautiful Orchids of Nepal Rajbhandari & Bhattarai 2001; Orchids of Bhutan Pearce & Cribb 2002 as Esmeralda clarkei; Orchid Digest Vol 71 No 1 2007 photo; Native Orchids From Gaoligongshan Mountains, China Xiaohua, Xiaodong and Xiaochun 2009 photo plant only as Esmeralda clarkei