Paphiopedilum Deconstructed.
The staminode, a repurposed sterile anther is a big feature inside the slipper orchid lip. Shaped like a giant flyswat, it collects incoming female hoverflies on its smooth surface before dropping them into the cup shaped lip where they buzz around before working out how to escape.
Zygopetalum flower surprise.
There are flowering plants and then there are orchids. Orchids thrived in their adopted niche as they evolved a distinctive flower structure and root system.
Orchid in White.
My first orchid has survived a number of ordeals. Hurricane-force winds blew the orchid over. I dropped the plant several times and repotted it once. Exposure to bright sunlight, dehydration and extreme cold merely stunned it.
Orchid under the bonnet
Orchids evolved to live in the crowns of trees. They are epiphytes. Specially adapted roots absorb nutrients dissolved in fluids trickling down the tree. I like taking pics; they are exceptionally photogenic.
Orchids are fussy in between shoots. In the wrong setting, they pack a sad and drop their flowers.
Pet plants, Miltoniopsis.
Plants make good pets, and Orchids are a favourite. They will pack a sad and drop their flowers if you don’t look after them.