Habenaria susannae R.Br.

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘In the month of June of the present year, we had the high gratification to receive at the Glasgow Botanic Garden, among other terrestrial Orchideous plants from Bombay, roots of the present individual from Joseph Nimmo, Esq., under the name of Orchis Susannae.  These have flowered in great perfection in the following month of September, yielding a delicious fragrance, and have added a truly splendid plant to the already rich collection of Orchidem in that establishment.  I am not however able to satisfy myself that it is the species so called by Linnaeus, He refers to the “Flos Susannae of Rumphias, figured in Herm. Par. Bat. t.209, and in the Herbarium Amboinense, v. 5. p. 99: but, however they may represent our plant in the general structure of the flower, as far at least as can be judged from such imperfect figures, they are both figured and described as much smaller in all their parts than our plant, which is certainly the 0. gigantea of Sir J. E. Smith.  It was found by Dr. Buchanan in Upper Nepal, and in the Mysore county, and we possess specimens from the Countess of Dalhousie, gathered by her ladyship at Simla in Nepal.  The true Orchis Susannae appears to be confined to Amboyna, and Sir J. Smith describes the flowers as of a very brilliant white.  About Bombay, Mr. Nimmo says, the present species is extremely rare: its flowers measure nearly four inches between the extremes of the two lateral sepals.’  [BM t.3374/1835].  Introduced to Britain as H. gigantea in 1834.  [PD].

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [O.35/1850].  One of a number of plants received from Captain Simpson in late 1849 or early 1850, apparently on the same ship as those accompanying Captain P. P. King.  The source is unclear.  [ML A1980-3].

Notes