Orchids

Spring flowers part 2 ~

/ Marilyn Davis / 2 Comments

Continuing with some Sunday photos from the Denver Botanic Gardens. Clockwise from top right: Some type of fruit tree, unidentified, tulip interior, unidentified, hellebore, unidentified, unidentified, tulip interior, poppy (I think) against a background of purple pansies, orchid (probably some type of phalaenopsis), fritillaria (checkered lily). If anyone can help with identification, please comment. My knowledge of flowers is pretty limited, and the signage was spotty. I didn’t saturate any of these photos; in fact, I frequently knocked the saturation down a bit.

Orchids part 2 ~

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Rhyncholaeliocattleya

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Phaiocalanthe Kryptonite “Ursula”

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Cymbidium Tom Thumb “Calliope”

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Phalaenopsis Carolina Tiny Phil

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Phragmipedium Jason Fischer

Taken at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s 2017 orchid show. I’ve probably written this before, but anyone interested in orchids should read “The Orchid Thief,” by Susan Orlean. It’s fascinating. It’s also the book that the movie “Adaptation” was loosely based upon.

Orchids part 1 ~

/ Marilyn Davis / 2 Comments

These photos were taken at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s 2017 orchid show. I’ve carried various cameras to four or five of these shows, but this is the first time I felt pleased with more than a small handful of shots. It’s also the first time I was patient enough to photograph the identification labels, so I now can actually name what I took. Just call me a slow learner.

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Paphiopedilum Black Thorpe. This is the orchid whose sexual organs were featured in yesterday’s post.

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Cattleya Los Gatos

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Bulbophyllum cumingii

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Phalaenopsis Hampshire Clouds

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Aliceara Purple Passion

Naughty bits ~

/ Marilyn Davis / 3 Comments
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Paphiopedilum Black Thorpe

Flowers are pure sex out in the open, and that’s especially true of orchids, which are exquisitely adapted for pollination. The sheer sexuality of orchids has been commented upon so often that it is a cliché—but it’s a beautiful one. This is the first time I’ve taken a photograph that amounts to flower pornography. I’ll show the entire flower, along with a number of other orchid species, in my next post. Olympus OM-D EM10 II, 30 mm macro.

Orchid encore ~

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Orchid 3

Dendrobium

A couple of final images from the orchid show. I may have used fill flash on both of these. The orchids are often in shadow, and no tripods are allowed at the show (nor could I have juggled one with my other stuff anyway). The pink flowers are a type of dendrobium. I have no guess about the maroon and white orchids. Since this is the last orchid post of the year, I’m taking this opportunity to recommend The Orchid Thief, the book on which the movie “Adaptation” was loosely based. Susan Orlean is a splendid journalist and it’s a most engaging read, whether you have any particular interest in orchids or not.

A trio of orchids ~

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orchid

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Yellow cattleya

These shots were taken at the 2015 orchid show at the Missouri Botanical Garden. As usual, I failed to take notes about genus and species. I think the yellow orchid is a type of cattleya; the red is a type of lady’s slipper. The green and purple wasn’t identified and I have no guess about it. If anyone can enlighten me, please do!