THE MONKEY ORCHID
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These amazing monkey-like
orchids are called “Monkey Orchids”. They are also named by their Latin name; “Dracula
simia” since they resemble the “popped collar” cape of the popular representation
of Dracula. In addition to this, the spurs on the ends of the three petals
somewhat resemble the fictional Dracula’s fangs. The name Dracula literally
translates to “little dragon”, whereas the specific epithet simia translates to
“monkey”.
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 cloudy mountains the monkey orchid can flower at any time
– it is not season specific. Its scent resembles that of a ripe orange.
As a
matter of fact these amazing weird orchids come from the south-eastern
Ecuadorian and Peruvian cloud forests where it grows at elevations of 1,000 to
2,000 meters and as such not many people throughout history got to see
them. Generally, species of Dracula enjoy
cooler temperatures. So, do not let their environments exceed 27 degrees C (80
degrees F). They also enjoy a humid environment (80-90%) with a slight breeze.
Here are more pictures:
Enjoy!
