وردة الاوركيد القرد

The Amazing Monkey Orchid











Nature doesn’t need an audience. These wonderful orchids come from the
south-eastern Ecuadorian and Peruvian cloud forests from elevations of
1000 to 2000 meters and as such not many people throughout history got
to see them. However, thanks to intrepid collectors we do get to see
this wonderful Monkey Orchid. Someone didn’t need much imagination to
name it though, let’s face it.


Its scientific name is Dracula simia, the last part nodding
towards the fact that this remarkable orchid bears more than a passing
resemblance to a monkey’s face – although we won’t go as far as to be
species specific on this one. The Dracula (genus) part of its name
refers to the strange characteristic of the two long spurs of the
sepals, reminiscent of the fangs of a certain Transylvanian count of
film and fiction fame.


The orchid was only named in 1978 by the botanist Luer but is in a
family containing over 120 species mostly found in Ecuador. Up in the
cloud mountains the monkey orchid can flower at any time – it is not
season specific. It scent resembles that of a ripe orange.


The examples seen here are all cultivated – though it remains very rare
in ‘captivity’. For that reason don’t make a dash down to your local
horticulturalist. Yet for those lucky enough to have one, if kept quite
cool and in partial shade and it can thrive and flower. Like all
orchids, however, it needs a lot of care and patience – so you may want
to consider a cactus instead!