Catasetum atratum Lindl. 1838 SUBGENUS Catasetum SECTION Isoceras SUBSECTION Convergentes
Plant and Inflorescence Photos by ©Danny Lentz plant grown by the Atlanta Botanical Garden©
Color Form Photo by ©Jean Claude and Elisabeth George
Disected Flower Photo by © E Schnurr
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Common Name The Lusturous Black Catasetum [refers to the spots of black on the sepals and petals]
Flower Size 2" [5 cm]
A southern Brazilian species that is a large sized, warm to hot growing epiphyte from subtropical regions with fusiform, clustered pseudobulbs that when young are enveloped by papery sheaths that disintigrate over time and carrying to 9, linear-oblancolate, medium green, plicate leaves with three prominent veins that blooms in the late spring and summer on a male, horizontal to arching, basal, 14" [36 cm] long, several [12 to 15] flowered inflorescence and a pendant rachis all arising with a new pseudobulb and carrying fragrant, waxy flowers.
This species requires light to moderate shade, hot to warm condtions, heavy water and fertilizer when in growth and a lessening of both after leaf fall.
Synonyms Catasetum adnatum Steud. 1840; Catasetum atratum var. mentosum (Lem.) Mansf. 1928; Catasetum mentosum Lemaire 1852-53.; Catasetum pallidum Klotsch 1894; Monachanthus atratus (Lindl.) Linden 1853
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1856; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Flora Brasilica Vol XII VI Hoehne 1942 drawing/photo fide; Orchidaceae Brasilensis Band 1 Pabst & Dungs 1975 drawing fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1B lieferung 26 1584 - 1648 Brieger 1992; The World Of Catasetum Holtz 1999 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 80 #4 2016 photo fide;
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