AboutOrchids

This little beauty belongs to the enormous Bulbophyllum genus of the orchid family. Its bright orange flowers have dark red spots that inspired its scientific name, Bulbophyllum pardalotum, which means spotted like a leopard. The small flowers are 3/4 inch (2 cm) across.

This species is native to the Philippines, where it’s a neighbor to this Oberonia on the island of Luzon. The flowers open during the day and close at night, and last about a week and a half.

The Bulbophyllum genus contains hundreds of fascinating and unusual species. Some are enormous, others microscopic. Many have bizarrely shaped flowers. This spotted species doesn’t have a scent, but some in the genus produce the smell of rotting meat to attract flies to pollinate them. Although these aren’t commonly offered for sale, it’s reason enough to check the fragrance of an orchid before you buy it.

Explore posts in the same categories: Mini Orchids, Photos, Warm Growers

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 at 7:56 pm and is filed under Mini Orchids, Photos, Warm Growers.

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