Fragrant flowers, foolproof pollination
Stanhopea tigrina
Family: Orchidaceae
Conservation status: Vulnerable
An orchid native to the damp, thick Mexican forests, Stanhopea tigrina (also known as the tiger-spotted stanhopea) produces yellow, purple, and brown mottled flowers that reach up to 8 inches in width. The blooms last only a few days and produce a captivating chocolate and vanilla fragrance.
Despite the short lifespan of the blooms, Stanhopea tigrina has a relatively foolproof method for ensuring pollination occurs. The sweet fragrance of its flowers attracts male Euglossine bees (also known as orchid bees) who collect fragrance compounds from the lip of the flowers. These compounds will later be used in their courtship displays.
However, the surface of the flower’s lip is very smooth, and the bee will quite often slip and fall into the center of the flower, collecting pollen as it goes. This process repeats at the next flower the bee visits, completing pollination.
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