| Dendrobium
Victoria-Reginae. This orchid has pendent bulbs that are up to 50cm long,
often branched near the base; the nodes are slightly swollen. The leaves
are up to 8cm long and 2cm wide. The short inflorescence appears on older
stem? and bear 3 to 12 flowers. The flowers reach 30mm in diameter. The
simple lip has at its center five dark violet stripes. The pollinarium
consists of two pairs of naked pollinia. As D. Papilio, it is an inhabitant
of the moist, cool, mossy forest of high altitudes. Its bluish color clearly
separates it from all other Dendrobium species in the country.
Geodorum
Densiflorum. This orchid specie comes from a genus of about 10 species
of rarely cultivated but unusually attractive terrestrial orchids. Pseudobulbs,
almost round, somewhat compressed, are underground and from which rise
a few broad stalked, folded leaves and erect elongate inflorescence. Flowers
are
medium-sized,
not widely opening which are carried sharply pendulous, that do not last
long, and they are waxy, fragrant, and colored. No hybrids are known.
Nervilia
Plicata. About 65 species of nervilia are known. These terrestrial orchids
have solitary, stalked, heart-shaped leaves, which are sometimes variegated
that
arise
from subterranean round tubers. The inflorescence bears a few relatively
large complex yellowish flowers with purple or reddish markings, especially
on the lip. Usually flowers and leaves are produced at different seasons
of the year. No hybrids are known.
Grammatophyllum
Scriptum. About 8 species in the genus, mostly epiphytic, are found. All
Grammatophyllums are exceptionally spectacular plants. They have yellowish
green leaves, leathery, waxy, and the broad inflorescence is erect to strongly
arching or pendulous due to the weight of flowers. Over 100 flowers in
a
stem
that are heavy-textured and waxy open over some weeks with variable colors
from greenish-yellow with irregular dark brown blotches on inner surface.
Flowers appear mostly in summer.
Luisia
Teretifolia. About 35 species in the genus of mostly epiphytic orchids
are found. This group is closely associated with the vanda orchid and often
simulate terete-leaved vandas. Inflorescence is short with few flowers,
which open all at once, rather heavy textured and foul-smelling, yellowish
or greenish and purple-
brown
or chocolate brown with yellowish blotch. Flowers appear in October and
November more than once a year. |
