'/> Fascinating Flowers: The World's 10 Most Exquisite and Unusual Orchids

Monday, May 11, 2015

The World's 10 Most Exquisite and Unusual Orchids

Orchid flowers are among the most beautiful in the world. In all, there are 880 genres and 250000 different species of orchids. Their blooms are noted for their radiant colors and unique structures. Take a look at the 10 most exquisite and unusual orchids that adorn the world around us.

1. Flying Duck Orchid

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The Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major) is a small orchid native to eastern and southern Australia. The flower looks like a duck in flight, its wings swept back, head and beak held high and proud. The flower is reddish-brown, measuring 15 to 20 mm long.

2. Lady's Slipper Orchid

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The Lady Slipper Orchid is Britain's rarest and most impressive orchid. The unique flower features a the slipper-shaped pouches (modified labellums) in which the pollinating insects get stuck. The eye-catching flowers come in different colors such as red, pink or purple.

3. White Egret Orchid

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The White Egret Orchid (Habenaria radiata)is an exquisite species of orchid found in China, Japan, Korea and Russia. The white and fringed flower resembles a snowy egret, spreading its fluffy white wings and is ready to take off. The flower is divided into three main lobes. The elongated center lobe looks like a tongue while the petals split into wings.

4. Cowl Carrying Maxillaria

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The Cowl Carrying Maxillaria (Maxillaria cucullata)is an unusual orchid species found in Mexico and south to Ecuador The exquisite 4 to 9 cm long triangular shaped flowers features a dark red to black lip. The 4 to 9 cm long flowers range in color from yellow to pink to dark red.

5. Curled Odontoglossum

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The Curled Odontoglossum (Odontoglossum crispum) is a gorgeous epiphytic orchid characterized its curled petals and red-violet blotches on its petals. The petals usually form a star-shaped flower that may vary from plain white to pale rose in color. Most orchid growers say that this orchid is one of the most beautiful orchid and one of the most difficult to grow.

6.Bee Orchid

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The Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) resembles a female bee resting on a pink flower to attract the attention of male bees to mate with the flower. It is one of nature's great mimics. Each flower has a lip resembling a bee, and three large, pink, petal-like outer sepals; the two other inner sepals look like antennae.

7. Moth Orchid

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The Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis fasciata) is an exquisite and unusual orchid species for the sole reason that it looks like a little bird’s head guarding the nectar of the flower. Its fragrant flowers come in all colors except blue.

8. Tulip Orchid

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Anguloas, also called Tulip Orchid, is a small orchid genus found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. So called because the flower resembles a tulip. The flowers have a waxy appearance and appearing only partially opened. The bloom varies in color from yellow, white, green and red.

9. Dove Orchid

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The Dove Orchid (Peristeria elata) is commonly found to grow across much of South America. What so distinct about this orchid is that there seems to be a hand-carved dove sitting in the middle of its flower.

If you look inside, you can see that the column and lip are fused in the shape of a dove--the head and beak are formed by the anther cap; the neck by the arching column, and the wings and tail by the three-lobed lip. The flower itself appears as brilliant white in color with a hard waxy texture and can span 2 inches in width.

10. Naked Man Orchid

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The Naked Man Orchid (Orchis italica) is a species of orchid native to the Mediterranean. The unusual flower has petals resembling a naked man in all his glory. The flowers range in color from light purplish-white to deep purple, and they are all clustered densely.

14 comments:

  1. I love these collections of orchids, in particular I like the Naked Man Orchid. I don't know why it seems I am fascinated by my mentor Papaleng's way of thinking and this has something to do with this choice :)

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  2. As they say "Birds of the same feathers , are the same birds"

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  3. The flying duck orchid is so cute. I wanna tell my tita to buy one since she is into collecting orchids.

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  4. These orchids are so interesting, I like the Bee Orchid and the Dove Orchid a lot. The Naked Man Orchid looks funny and cute, lol!

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  5. Everything looks lovely. The white egret orchid is like a bird that has just learned how to flap its wings and fly. Too bad we don't have that in the Philippines.

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  6. These orchids are so pure and real. It's beauty speaks for itself. Really beautiful for the garden with muc delight.

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  7. Bee orchid is like a bee itself :) One of the great things God created.

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  8. I grew up watering my mom's orchids and seen vast of collection but those orchids above are very rare. What an impressive collection of Orchids.

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  9. First time to see these wonderful imaginary images from orchids. Love the Bee orchid, I wish to find one in person.

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  10. Wow the flying duck really looks like a duck! They're all look pleasing to the eyes. The bee orchid looks cute as well. Amazing!

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  11. I love them all! My mom used to kinder orchids plants. I love waling2 orchids, it look like the same with Naked Man orchids.

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  12. Not only are they exquisite, they are also beautiful and resembles other animals and even a naked man.

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  13. Very unique names. All are beautiful but flying duck just caught my attention. Very cool.

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  14. Never really looked at flowers this close so it is just now that I realize just how intricate flowers are.

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