Smithsonian Gardens

Common name: Warczewitzii's Clowesia

Family: Orchidaceae (Orchid)

Synonym: Catasetum scurra

Distribution: Costa Rica to N South America and Ecuador

Habitat: Tropical, moist forests; 70-500m

Life form: Epiphytic

Bloom Time (northern hemisphere): Year round

Foliage characteristics: Leaves are deciduous.

Bloom characteristics: Pendant inflorescence is 15" long with 15-20 fleshy white flowers with thin green stripes. Flowers are 1.5" across.

Fragrance: Citronella

Pollination syndrome: Bee (bee-knee pollination; Eulaema nigrita, Eulaema bombiformis, Eulaema meriana)

Description: This orchid can appear under many different names due to the Polish origin of its original collector. C. warczewitzii is named after a Polish orchid collector of the 1800s whose name has proved difficult for many to spell since this orchid was first recorded.

Comments: Clowesia warczewitzii