!Catasetum macrocarpum Rich ex Kunth 1822 Photos courtesy of Danny Lentz plant grown by the Atlanta Botanical Garden ©
Parts of The Flower Photo courtesy of Jay Pfahl
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Common Name Monk's Head Orchid or Large-Fruited Catasetum
Flower Size 3" [7.5 cm]
This large sized, hot to warm growing epiphytic plant is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surina, French Guiana, Brazil, Argentina as well as Trinidad from sea-level to 1300 meters with conical-fusiform pseudobulbs enveloped by several leaf bearing sheaths carrying 5 to 7 oblong-lanceolate, acuminate leaves and is allied to Catasetum maculatum as well as Catasetum intergerrinum. It is the type species for the genus and has the common name of the Monk's Head Orchid. They bloom in the late summer and fall on a basal, erect or arching, 1 1/2' [45 cm] long, racemose inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb before leaf fall that has up to 10, fleshy flowers that do not open well and has a fragrance of anise. The male pollina[see #2 in 2nd photo] can be triggered by anything touching the spur inside the hood [see#1 in 2 nd photo] which then releases the pollina with a large push. The viscidum at the bottom of the stipe which in turn connects to the pollina in Catasetum, is always sticky causing it to adhere to the backs of rummaging insects or fingers of curious growers.
Synonyms Catachaetum claveringii (Lindl.) Hoffmanns. 1842; Catasetum clavingii Lindley ex Van Jeel 1829; Catasetum costatum Rchb.f. 1887; Catasetum floribundum Hooker 1825; Catasetum grandis hort. ex Planchon; Catasetum linguiferum Schlechter 1925; Catasetum macrocarpum var amplissimum Planch. 1858; Catasetum macrocarpum var bellum Rchb.f 1886; Catasetum macrocarpum var brevifolium Mutel. 1840; Catasetum macrocarpum var carnosissimum Cogn. 1895; Catasetum macrocarpum var chrysanthum Lind & Rodig. 1889; Catasetum macrocarpum var clavingerii Lindl 1832; Catasetum macrocarpum var genuinum Mutel. 1840; Catasetum macrocarpum var globoso-connivens Mutel 1840; Catasetum macrocarpum var. mechelyncki Mutel 1840; Catasetum macrocarpum var. pallidum Mutel 1840; Catasetum macrocarpum var. unidentatum Mutel 1840; Catasetum macrocarpum var. viridi-purpureum Mutel 1840; Catasetum macrocarpum var. viridi-sanguineum Mutel 1840; Catasetum menthaedorum hort. ex Planchon; Catasetum tricolor Hort. ex Planchon; Catasetum tridentatum Hooker 1824; Cypripedium cothurnum Vell. 1831; Paphiopedilum cothurnum (Vell.) Pfitzer 1895
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Symbolae Antillanae Vol VI Orchidaceae Urban 1909; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI Hoehne 1942; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI Hoehne 1942 as C costatum; AOS Bulletin Vol 27 No 9 1958 drawing; AOS Bulletin Vol 29 No 8 1960 photo; Native Orchids of Trinidad Schultes 1960; Venezuelan Orchids Vol 2 Dunsterville & Garay 1961; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; AOS Bulletin VOl 38 No 6 1969; Flora de Venezuela Foldats Volumen XV Part 4 1970; Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated Vol 6 Dunsterville & Garay 1976 as C costatum; Orchidaceae Brasilensis Pabst & Dungs 1976; The Orchids of Venezuela, An Illustrated Field Guide Dunsterville and Garay 1979; AOS Bulletin Vol 49 NO 1 1980 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 49 NO 1 1980 photo as C costatum; An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids Pridgeon 1982; Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb and Laurent 1982; AOS Bulletin Vol 56 No 5 1987 photo; Venezuelan Orchids Dunsterville 1987; Native Orchids of the Eastern Caribbean Kenny 1988; Native Colombian Orchids Vol 1 COS 1990; Orchids of the High Mountain Atlantic Rainforest in SE Brazil Warren & Miller 1994; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; The World Of Catasetum Holtz 1999; Orquedias Nativas Del Tachira Fernandez 2003; Orquideas Da Chapada Diamantina Brito & Cribb 2005
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