flowering of Epiphyllum oxypetalum
 

Hello everybody,

I'm doing a project with this plant and I would like to know more about
pollination and the mechanisms of how this plant do it.
I know that the responsable is a moth, but I don't know which one.

Please if someone knows ANYTHING about this great plant..... please let
me know.

thanks a lot!

Danilo Carvalho

flowering of Epiphyllum oxypetalum
 

This topic is interesting so I did some searcing. The moth is a species
of Hawk Moth (Sphingidae i think), which are attracted to long white
flowers that emit a scent similar to that of jasmine. The particular
type of Hawk moth that interacts with your Epiphyllum has a proboscis
that is the same length of the narrow region of the flower (very cool).
I couldnt find the exact species of hawk moth; maybe there is more
than one. What about bats?

Im interested in hearing about what you have learned about them so
far...

amanda

flowering of Epiphyllum oxypetalum
 

Amanda wrote:
This topic is interesting so I did some searcing. The moth is a species
of Hawk Moth (Sphingidae i think), which are attracted to long white
flowers that emit a scent similar to that of jasmine.

Hi Amanda,

Could this be what you were thinking of...?

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordL...gbird_moth.htm

Actually, I had two flying around my star jasmine and my Mexican bush
sage late one evening, just before sundown last summer.

Had never seen one before, or since.

flowering of Epiphyllum oxypetalum
 

Pismo wrote:

Hi Amanda,

Could this be what you were thinking of...?

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordL...ages/hummingbi...

Actually, I had two flying around my star jasmine and my Mexican bush
sage late one evening, just before sundown last summer.

Had never seen one before, or since.

WOW! What a georgous insect!

That one is one of the many types of Hawk Moths (genus Sphingidae). I
was trying to look for a specific species that pollinates Epiphillum
oxypentalum to answer the initial question but I couldnt find
anything. I'm not sure if it is a single species or various species. I
havent had time to look into it further but its remained on my mind
since my first post.

amanda

flowering of Epiphyllum oxypetalum
 

correction: family Sphingidae, genus Hemaris.

amanda