Orchids are a vast plant family (Orchidaceae) with over 700 genera and over 28,000 species. It is one of the biggest plant families, and its members are easily identifiable by their blooms' typical bilateral symmetry and upward-facing petals. While there are several natural orchids found around the world, the orchids most often cultivated by home gardeners are tropical orchids used as houseplants. Numerous orchid species are epiphytic plants, meaning they grow on the surface of other plants, absorbing moisture and nutrients from the surrounding air.
Flora and Fauna Six to twenty blooms are born at the tip of the fleshy stalk. The blossoms are varied hues of purple, but sometimes pinkish and bordering on white - with an unpleasant fragrance (tom cat! ), particularly at night. Orchid flowers vary greatly in shape and form, but the blossom is always two-lipped. Orchids are monocotyledonous plants, which means that aside from their parallel venation, their floral components are often in threes or multiples of three. Three sepals are present in the early purple orchid. Petals and one sepal create the flower's 'hood' or helmet, while the other two sepals are upright and pressed against one another. Lower petal or lip is somewhat lobed and spotted with purple brown. Behind the blossom is an upward curving and robust spur. In a central column, the stamens and stigmas are united.
In the United Kingdom, there are 57 indigenous species; some are unexpectedly plentiful and widespread, while others are sought-after rarities found in a few chosen locations. One of the most remarkable characteristics of orchids is their enormous variety, even within species, which makes proper identification exceedingly difficult. Orchids reproduce in a variety of different ways. Numerous species are pollinated by insects, which they attract with their form, color, and scent. With insect pollinated species, we have the extra issue of hybridization. The new plants often exhibit features that are dissimilar to those of either parent plant, making identification difficult. Others are self-pollinating, while a few reproduce by offshoots or plantlets generated at one of the stem's nodes.
These close-ups highlight the pale lilac 'hood' produced by the sepals, which gives the flower its English name. Less noticeable are the rows of purple 'tunic buttons' along the length of the lip, which may have contributed to the lip's moniker. Both images were taken at the end of May and mid-June in the Buckinghamshire reserve. Orchid Monkey
