Madagascar: The Island of orchids

In the forests of eastern Madagascar, orchids fill the air with their sweet fragrance and captivate the eye with their beauty! These magnificent epiphyte plants (living on other plants without parasitizing them) delight both botanists and travelers alike.

The world’s greatest orchid diversity

Madagascar possesses the characteristics of a miniature continent due to its isolation from the rest of the world. The island separated from Africa and India 160 million years ago, becoming a land where nature thrives and reigns supreme. Humans only arrived on the island around 2,000 BCE, and apart from the small fosa, predators are virtually non-existent.

This has allowed animals like lemurs to thrive and evolve with great freedom. Similarly, plants such as orchids have proliferated and evolved in a uniquely favorable environment. This distinct environment seems to go hand in hand with endemism, as much of Madagascar's biodiversity is endemic.

When it comes to orchids, the island boasts over 1,200 species, with around 1,000 of them being endemic! This represents the highest rate of orchid endemism and the greatest diversity of orchids in the world.

Orchids at the peak of evolution

Madagascar’s orchids are impressive not only for their beauty and fragrance but also for their survival and reproduction strategies. For example, Leporella fimbriata secretes a pheromone that male Myrmeca ants find irresistible.

Satyrium also has a unique relationship with the sohimanga (sunbird), a small bird that loves the orchid's nectar while simultaneously aiding in its pollination. The Madagascar Star Orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale) produces nectar that sustains a species of long-tongued nocturnal moth.

Another species, Stanhopea graveolens, employs an even more complex pollination method: it emits a strong scent that attracts gnats, which in turn lure spiders, the prey of the pollinating hummingbird. The orchid Bulbophyllum occlusum lures flies, but it is the insect itself that pollinates the flower.

Natural wonders to protect and admire

The humid forests of Atsinanana (eastern Madagascar) serve as a sanctuary for orchids. Exploring Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, the Analamazaotra Reserve, or the Mitsinjo Forest is a real treat, as the air is filled with their delightful fragrances. Angraecum longicalcar is notable for releasing its scent only at night.

Their beauty is equally extraordinary, with stunning colorful blooms ranging from bright white to violet, yellow, orange, and more. Among the most iconic species are Cymbidiella falcigera, known as the black orchid (now rare in its natural habitat), and Eulophiella roempleriana, boasting a lovely pink fuchsia corolla.

Orchids are recognizable by their three-petal flowers: two identical upper petals and a third lower petal that varies by species. It's worth noting that vanilla is also an orchid, with Madagascar home to eight wild species. However, the famous Vanilla planifolia, renowned worldwide, was imported and is cultivated in the northern and eastern regions of the country.

Mount Ibity (in the highlands of Vakinankaratra) and Ranomafana National Park (in the southwest) are also excellent sites for orchid observation.