{"id":22297,"date":"2016-10-28T20:30:39","date_gmt":"2016-10-29T04:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/?p=22297"},"modified":"2017-05-07T12:25:27","modified_gmt":"2017-05-07T20:25:27","slug":"orchids-from-another-planet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/28\/orchids-from-another-planet\/","title":{"rendered":"Orchids from Another Planet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If we ever found flowers on another planet, could they possibly be stranger than these earthly orchids? Some of these blooms look like visitors from Mars or Neptune.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Masdevallia_caudivolvula_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26220 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Masdevallia_caudivolvula_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Masdevallia caudivolvula, orchid species with spiral petals, pinwheel flower, Pleurothallid, Pacific Orchid Expo 2009, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Masdevallia_caudivolvula_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Masdevallia_caudivolvula_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Masdevallia_caudivolvula_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Psychopsis_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26223 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Psychopsis_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Psychopsis flower, Butterfly Orchid, Orchids in the Park 2013, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Psychopsis_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Psychopsis_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Psychopsis_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Encyclia_cochleata_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26218 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Encyclia_cochleata_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Prosthechea cochleata, aka Encyclia cochleata, clamshell orchid or cockleshell orchid or Octopus Orchid, Pacific Orchid Expo 2008, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Encyclia_cochleata_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Encyclia_cochleata_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Encyclia_cochleata_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Despite their alien facades, they&#8217;re simply members of the enormous orchid family, which has diversity beyond measure. Their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2012\/10\/20\/latin-orchid-names\/\">long Latin names<\/a>, like Masdevallia caudivolvula and Sigmatostalix posadarum, are sometimes bigger than the blooms themselves. They may resemble birds in flight or deep sea creatures, but they don&#8217;t look much like flowers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Sigmatostalix_posadarum_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26224 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Sigmatostalix_posadarum_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Sigmatostalix posadarum, miniature orchid species, flower that looks like a bird, Pacific Orchid Expo 2009, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Sigmatostalix_posadarum_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Sigmatostalix_posadarum_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Sigmatostalix_posadarum_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Stanhopea_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26225 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Stanhopea_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Stanhopea flower, Orchids in the Park 2012, San Francisco, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Stanhopea_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Stanhopea_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Stanhopea_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Stanhopea_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Gongora_truncata_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26219 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Gongora_truncata_800px-128x128.jpg\" alt=\"Gongora truncata, orchid species, flower that looks like a bird, Pacific Orchid Expo 2010, San Francisco, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Gongora_truncata_800px-128x128.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Gongora_truncata_800px-300x300.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Gongora_truncata_800px-768x768.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Gongora_truncata_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Pleurothallis_cyanea_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26221 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Pleurothallis_cyanea_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Pleurothallis cyanea, orchid species, Pacific Orchid Expo 2009, San Francisco, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Pleurothallis_cyanea_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Pleurothallis_cyanea_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Pleurothallis_cyanea_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Pleurothallis_cyanea_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/possibly_Dracula_chestertonii_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26222 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/possibly_Dracula_chestertonii_800px-128x128.jpg\" alt=\"Possibly Dracula chestertonii, orchid species, Pleurothallid, Pacific Orchid Expo 2015, San Francisco, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/possibly_Dracula_chestertonii_800px-128x128.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/possibly_Dracula_chestertonii_800px-300x300.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/possibly_Dracula_chestertonii_800px-768x768.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/possibly_Dracula_chestertonii_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Dendrobium_spectabile_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26217 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Dendrobium_spectabile_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Dendrobium spectabile, orchid species, flower close up, Pacific Orchid Expo 2016, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Dendrobium_spectabile_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Dendrobium_spectabile_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Dendrobium_spectabile_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In choosing photos for this post, out of many years of our orchid show pictures, the Bulbophyllums truly stood out. This large, diverse group of orchids has lots of weird blooms. The last row of photos below shows three Bulbophyllum examples, but there were many more. Don&#8217;t these flowers look like they could have come from another planet?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flower_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26215 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flower_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Bulbophyllum flower, Pacific Orchid Expo 2009, San Francisco, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flower_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flower_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flower_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flower_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flowers_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26216 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flowers_800px-77x128.jpg\" alt=\"Bulbophyllum flowers, Pacific Orchid Expo 2006, San Francisco, California\" width=\"77\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flowers_800px-77x128.jpg 77w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flowers_800px-180x300.jpg 180w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_flowers_800px.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 77px) 100vw, 77px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_falcatum_v_falcatum_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26214 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_falcatum_v_falcatum_800px-77x128.jpg\" alt=\"Bulbophyllum falcatum v. falcatum, orchid species, Orchid Society of NW Pennsylvania Show 2010, Erie, Pennsylvania\" width=\"77\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_falcatum_v_falcatum_800px-77x128.jpg 77w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_falcatum_v_falcatum_800px-180x300.jpg 180w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Bulbophyllum_falcatum_v_falcatum_800px.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 77px) 100vw, 77px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If we ever found flowers on another planet, could they possibly be stranger than these earthly orchids? Some of these blooms look like visitors from Mars or Neptune. Despite their alien facades, they&#8217;re simply members of the enormous orchid family, which has diversity beyond measure. Their long Latin names, like Masdevallia caudivolvula and Sigmatostalix posadarum, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-misc","category-photos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22297"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26258,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22297\/revisions\/26258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}