Re: I have an orchid...

Robert Allen (Robert.Allen@Eng.Sun.COM)
Thu, 6 May 93 14:49:57 PDT

>>An orchid, by definition, has its flower parts in 3's - three sepals and
>>three petals, though often they are not easily distinguished except by
>>their position. The lower of the petals is formed into a lip which widely
>>varies from type to type.
>>
>>Do the leaves come straight from the ground or do they arise from a
>>bulblike affair? (this would be obvious if they did, it wouldn't be

There's no bulb.

>>hidden underground). Is the lip an open, or tubular, or cup shaped lip?
>>Since you spoke of flat leaves lying oppposite each other, and a single
>>scape, I would suspect that it could be a Paphiopedium, or "slipper
>>orchid." The lip in this case would be either cuplike or balloon-like, as
>>in a lady's slipper orchid. But orchids are a gigantic family... If you
>>can describe the lip in more detail, we can probably pin it down, or get
>>closer.

Ah yes, I do believe this may be a ladies slipper species. It's
quite a pronounced, deep cup, perhaps big enough to insert the
1st joint of my index finger or thumb. I think the plant may
also have some white "roots" down in the bark, but I'm not positive
if I recall that correctly or not.

TIA,

R.