Orchid Flowers
Orchid flowers come in many shapes and colors. Their numerous fanciful names come from their resemblance to moths (Phalaenopsis), butterflies (Oncidium papilio), spiders (Arachnis), bees (Ophrys), slipper or moccasins(Paphiopedilum or cypripedium), or dancing ladies (Oncidium). Some orchids produce single flowers but most have a racemose inflorescence, sometimes with a large numbers of flowers. The flowering stem can be basal, meaning the flowering stems are produced from the base of the tuber, like in Cymbidium. In Cattleya, the flowering stems are called apical stem, meaning it grows from the apex of the main stem. While in Vanda, it is called axillary, where the flowering stems are grown from the leaf axil. In orchid flowers, there are three sepals which are normally different from the petals in shape but not in color. There are also three petals but one has been modified into a lip (labellum). The lip is an extremely complex structure which is very different from the other two petals. The lip is often 'decorated' with horns, crests, hair, ribs and is further accentuated by vivid colors. In some species, the lip is small, but usually the lip is the largest part of the flower. The petals and sepals together are collectively known as tepals. The stamens, style and stigma are joined together into a unique structure called column. The column contains both the male and female reproductive organs, namely the anther, which contains the pollen, and the stigma, a hollow sticky pad that receives the pollen. In most orchids, the uppermost anther is retained and the pollen is clumped together into masses known as pollinia. Pollinators are often visually attracted by the shape and colors of the labellum (lip). Some flowers have attractive odors, while in some species, nectar may be produced in a spur of the the labellum.  Cattleya labiata Author: PicTrans (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic) | ||
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