Calanthe

Calanthe is a popular genus of some 150 terrestrial species spreaded throughout tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Australia. The genus divide into two main groups: deciduous and evergreen. Deciduous calanthes genus produced large silvery green pseudobulbs topped with broadly oval, short lived leaves in summer. While resting, the leafless pseudobulbs produce an autumn flower spike up to 60 cm with a cascade of wonderfully soft blooms and colored white, pink or red with a contrasting lip. Evergreen calanthes grow in similar conditions but do not require a definite period of rest.
This is a genus of seventeen species which can be found throughout much of the lowland American tropics. They have a single apical subterete leaf on a pencil like pseudobulb, the flowers are long lasting and highly fragrant at night.