The Sphingidae are a family of moths commonly called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as hornworms. Iit includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, but species are found in every region. They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their agile and sustained flying ability, similar enough to that of hummingbirds as to be reliably mistaken for them. Their narrow wings and streamlined abdomens are adaptations for rapid flight. The family was named by French zoologist Pierre André Latreille in 1802.
The concept of predictive power, the power of a scientific theory to generate testable predictions, differs from explanatory power and descriptive power in that it allows a prospective test of theoretical understanding.
Pollination syndromes are suites of flower traits that have evolved in response to natural selection imposed by different pollen vectors, which can be abiotic or biotic, such as birds, bees, flies, and so forth through a process called pollinator-mediated selection. These traits include flower shape, size, colour, odour, reward type and amount, nectar composition, timing of flowering, etc. For example, tubular red flowers with copious nectar often attract birds; foul smelling flowers attract carrion flies or beetles, etc.
Amesiella is a genus of orchids endemic to the Island of Luzon, in the Philippines.
Angraecum sesquipedale, also known as Darwin's orchid, Christmas orchid, Star of Bethlehem orchid, and king of the angraecums, is an epiphytic orchid in the genus Angraecum endemic to Madagascar. The orchid was first discovered by the French botanist Louis-Marie Aubert du Petit-Thouars in 1798, but was not described until 1822. It is noteworthy for its long spur and its association with the naturalist Charles Darwin, who surmised that the flower was pollinated by a then undiscovered moth with a proboscis whose length was unprecedented at the time. Darwin's prediction went unverified for 21 years after his death, until just such a moth was discovered and his conjecture vindicated. The story of its postulated pollinator has come to be seen as one of the celebrated predictions of the theory of evolution.
Jumellea is an orchid genus with 55 species native to Madagascar, the Comoros, the Mascarenes, and eastern Africa. In horticulture, it is often abbreviated Jum.
Xanthopan is a monotypic genus of sphinx moth, with Xanthopan morganii, commonly called Morgan's sphinx moth, as its sole species. It is a very large sphinx moth from Southern Africa and Madagascar. Little is known about its biology, though the adults have been found to visit orchids and are one of the main pollinators of several of the Madagascar endemic baobab (Adansonia) species, Adansonia perrieri or Perrier's baobab.
Fertilisation of Orchids is a book by English naturalist Charles Darwin published on 15 May 1862 under the full explanatory title On the Various Contrivances by Which British and Foreign Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects, and On the Good Effects of Intercrossing. Darwin's previous book, On the Origin of Species, had briefly mentioned evolutionary interactions between insects and the plants they fertilised, and this new idea was explored in detail. Field studies and practical scientific investigations that were initially a recreation for Darwin—a relief from the drudgery of writing—developed into enjoyable and challenging experiments. Aided in his work by his family, friends, and a wide circle of correspondents across Britain and worldwide, Darwin tapped into the contemporary vogue for growing exotic orchids.
The Vandeae is a large monophyletic tribe within the family of orchids.
Aerangis fastuosa, commonly known as the 'magnificent Aerangis', is a species of epiphytic orchid endemic to Madagascar. It is widespread across Madagascar, stretching from the eastern coastal forests across to the south and along the central plateau. Aerangis fastuosa belongs to the family Orchidaceae, subtribe Aerangidinae.
Angraecum eburneum is a species of orchid. Their common name the "comet orchid". They generally grow up to 2 metres in height and grows 10 to 15 flowers per plant. They are native to Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Réunion, Mauritius, Kenya, and Tanzania. It is the national flower of Seychelles.
Angraecum leonis is a species of flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae.
Angraecum cadetii is a species of orchid endemic to Mauritius and Réunion. It was named after botanist Thérésien Cadet. It is the only known flower known to be pollinated by a cricket, specifically by a species of raspy cricket: Glomeremus orchidophilus.
Coelonia solani is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from Mauritius, Réunion, Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. It is a pollinator of some species of baobab in Madagascar, including Adansonia za.
Glomeremus orchidophilus is a recently (2010) discovered species of raspy cricket found in the island of Réunion in the Mascarene Islands. It is the only known pollinator of the orchid Angraecum cadetii. It is also the only cricket known to pollinate a flower.
The Botanical Garden of Faial is an ecological garden, component of the Faial Nature Park, established in 1986 to educate and protect the biodiversity common on Faial, an island of the Azores archipelago.
A nectar spur is a hollow extension of a part of a flower. The spur may arise from various parts of the flower: the sepals, petals, or hypanthium, and often contain tissues that secrete nectar (nectaries). Nectar spurs are present in many clades across the angiosperms, and are often cited as an example of convergent evolution.
The pollination of orchids is a complex chapter in the biology of this family of plants that are distinguished by the complexity of their flowers and by intricate ecological interactions with their pollinator agents. It has captured the attention of numerous scientists over time, including Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution by natural selection. Darwin published in 1862 the first observations of the fundamental role of insects in orchid pollination, in his book The Fertilization of Orchids. Darwin stated that the varied stratagems orchids use to attract their pollinators transcend the imagination of any human being.
Angraecum longicalcar, also known as the long spurred Angraecum, is a large critically endangered orchid endemic to the Central Highlands of Madagascar. This lithophytic species is noteworthy for its exceptionally long 40 cm nectar spur, rivalling that of the famous Darwins' orchid , and as such may have the longest spur of any orchid species.
