| Ipsea speciosa | |
|---|---|
| |
| Ipsea speciosa illustration. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
| Genus: | Ipsea |
| Species: | I. speciosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ipsea speciosa Lindl. (1831)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Spathoglottis speciosa (Lindl.) Pradhan | |
Ipsea speciosa,[2] the daffodil orchid, is a rare wild orchid found in the hills of Sri Lanka and southern India.[1] It is a terrestrial herb with pseudobulbous stem. The lanceolate leaves of the plant are grass like and pointed at the end. Its large flowers appear from September to February, they are bright yellow and sweet-scented.
This plant can be seen in grass lands and pathana areas in mid hills of the country. The plant is known as නගා මැරූ අල in the Sinhala language, meaning "Yam which killed the little sister" according to a folk tale.
Like the glory lily, the daffodil orchid is used as an ingredient in making love charm portions and aphrodisiacs in local medicine.
- ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ Lindl, Gen. et Sp. Orch. 124.1831: Trimen, Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon