Brassavola nodosa (Lady of the Night)

Native from Mexico to Venezuela and the southwestern and southern Caribbean, this perennial orchid grows on tree trunks and branches and occasionally on rocks. It occurs in seasonally dry tropical habitats. Slender stems carry fleshy, nearly cylindrical leaves. Its flowers have a broad white lip surrounded by long, narrow, pale green petals and sepals. A sweet fragrance released after sunset attracts moth pollinators. It is a parent of the popular fragrant hybrid Little Stars. Photographed in Panama.