Field of Science

Friday Fabulous Flower - ??

The family is obvious; this is an orchid, a quite colorful orchid whose flower is some 4-5 cm across, so 5 or 6 of these open on the same inflorescence makes showy display.  And orange is just not a common flower color.  Here's the problem: it is without label, so who knows what it is.  In all likelihood it is a hybrid, and therefore rather boring, that was picked up cheap at a "this-plant-is-done-flowering" sale, or even donated, and between the time it was purchased and the time it flowered again, any identification it had was lost.  Quite possibly it had no label to begin with.  Such plants end up as open house give-aways or things like that.  So any body out there with any ideas about this orchid?  Anyone?  Anyone?

4 comments:

mr_subjunctive said...

It's not far off from Cattleya aurantiaca, especially if the labellum hadn't entirely finished opening yet. (C. aurantiaca 1) (C. aurantiaca 2)

The Phytophactor said...

I do believe you are right about the labellum being not quite open. Well, maybe this one isn't quite so boring. Many thanks.

Carol Steel said...

It is lovely. Even if nearly nameless, it is till a cheery sight on a no-quite-spring morning where all I can see is snow.

nycguy said...

How big are the flowers? C. aurantiaca has flowers less than an inch across.
It could be a hybrid of C. aurantiaca with a Mexican-type Laelia like L. anceps, which have a similar tepal shape. I believe the orange color of C. aurantiaca is dominant.