Stanhopea nigroviolacea Morren ex Beer 1854 Photo courtesy of Patricia Harding

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Common Name The Black Purple Stanhopea

Flower Size to 7" [18 cm]

A medium sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte occuring on the easterrn slopes of the Mexican plateau at elevations of 1200 to 2000 meters that blooms on a pendant, one to two flowered inflorescence subtended by large, chartaceous bracts and 2 to 3 heavily fragrant [vanilla] flowers occuring in the summer and fall.

Many authorities put this one as a variety of S nigroviolacea, I keep it separate only because they are found in cultivation named such much more often.

Synonyms Stanhopea tigrina var. nigroviolacea Morren 1845

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 66 No 9 1997 photo as S tigrina var nigroviolacea; Orchids Australia Vol 10 No 3 1998 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 68 No 12 1999 photo; Orchids Australia Vol 13 No 2 2001 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 71 No 6 2002 photo ; AOS Bulletin Vol 72 No 7 2003 photo; Australian Orchid Review Vol 69 No 1 2004 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 5 2004 photo as S tigrina var nigroviolacea; AOS Bulletin Vol 75 No 10 2006 photo;

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