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Goliath orchid

Sarcanthopsis warocqueana

Goliath orchid
Photo: The New York Botanical Garden, CC BY 4.0
Family
Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Grows as
Epiphyte, Orchid
Light
Full sun
Water
Likes moisture
Native range
New Guinea, Caroline Is. (Palau)
Climate
wet tropical

About

Sarcanthopsis warocqueana, commonly known as the goliath orchid, is a large epiphytic or lithophytic orchid from the family Orchidaceae that forms large clumps. It has a long, thick, branched stems, thick, cord-like roots, many leathery, strap-like leaves and many cream-coloured, yellowish or greenish flowers with purple or brown spots. It grows near the sea, in coastal swamps and in rainforest, usually in full sun. It mainly only occurs in New Guinea.

Where it grows

Sarcanthopsis warocqueana grows from rocks on the coast, just above the water line to the branches of trees in rainforest at 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level. It is found in eastern New Guinea and nearby islands. A single juvenile plant has been observed on Moa Island, Queensland.

Other Sarcanthopsis plants

Sarcanthopsis

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sarcanthopsis warocqueana by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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