Animal From Australia That Looks Like It's Smiling

Equally a parent, Suzanne likes to write about kid-friendly video games.

If you have never seen the monkey face up orchid, yous are in for a existent treat. Whenever I show people at work, they call up that the photos are photoshopped. They aren't.

There are over xx,000 orchid species in the world, and many of them are quite astonishing. Orchids produce the well-nigh interesting, rare, and exotic flowers in all different colours, shapes, smells, and variegations. They besides take a number of interesting tricks regarding fertilisation. It's a scrap scary and lamentable to think that many of the exotic ones are endangered or on the verge of extinction.

Here is my top x list of orchids that await like animals.

Botanical Name: Dracula simia or Dracula gigas

Constitute on the sides of the high mountains in southeastern Ecuador and Peru at an summit of 1,000 - 2,000 meters, the monkey face orchid is a pop only rare favourite among orchid collectors, because it has a distinctive monkey or birdie face in its flower.

Dissimilar flowers provide different expressions of the monkey face, from thoughtful to happy to sad.

Often, this orchid is called the monkey orchid, although this is technically incorrect (see next list detail) even though they are flowers that look like monkeys.

The botanical proper noun refers to dracula (significant "little dragon", as well as people thinking of Count Dracula with the hanging sepal spurs that also wait like fangs) and simia (monkey face up) and gigas (giant).

At that place are quite a few dracula orchids that look similar monkey faces, just simia and gigas are better known.

Of the 120 species in the dracula family, most of which are plant in Ecuador, many are not seasonal blooms and can flower at any time throughout the year.

Monkeyface orchids require cool temperatures and partial shade. They likewise need attending if grown in captivity.

The aroma of the blossomed flowers is said to be like ripe oranges, and it is rare to find monkey face orchids grown successfully out of the wild.

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Botanical Proper name: Orchis simia or Orchis italica

Some other orchid flower that looks similar a monkey is orchis simia. Too known as the "naked hanging man," this found shows the bodies of cute little monkeys (or men) hanging from its flowers, which are usually grey, white, pinkish, majestic or ruddy.

Orchis simia was kickoff discovered in France in 1779 and can be establish from southern England downwardly to northern Africa and every bit far east every bit Islamic republic of iran.

Information technology used to be a common orchid, but since 1920 has get harder to observe.

The monkey orchid is perennial and flowers from May until June each twelvemonth. It has two oval tubers, so its name (orchis from the orchidaceae family) means "testicle" in Greek.

Another version of the monkey orchid is the orchis italica, which is a Mediterranean native similar to orchis simia.

Botanical Name: Ophrys insectifera

The fly orchid looks similar something you probably wouldn't want to pick.

Non only does it look a fleck like a fly, merely it depends on flies, bees, and wasps for pollination, using a scent to attract male insects.

Sometimes the scent reminds the insects of nutrient and other times it reminds them of female person insects. As they country on the flower, the male insect attempts to mate with it and then is disappointed by the lack of nectar and procreation, so it loses interest and flies to another blossom, unwittingly pollinating it.

10% of fly orchids each year are pollinated by sexual deception.

This method of pollination, along with the fact that each pollinated orchid produces over 10,000 seeds, has resulted in ophrys insectifera becoming a very widespread orchid indeed.

A European native, the fly orchid is common in several locations from Ireland to Spain to Romania and Ukraine and grows in alkaline soils with total sunlight to partial shade, from sea level to 1700m altitude.

Sadly, it is oft bulldozed in developing areas of the United kingdom, but the species is not endangered.

Botanical Proper noun: Ophrys apifera

Another version of ophrys insectifera is the bee orchid. The apifera in Latin ways "bee begetting" and the flowers attract male person bees in the same style as the fly orchid, by visually mimicking female bees and also emitting the aroma of female bees for pollination.

Bee orchids are mutual in the Mediterranean region and can also be constitute in the UK, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

There are many hybrids from the ophrys genus, with ophrys bomybliflora specifically attracting bumblebees and ophrys lutea attracting yellow bees, for example. Some types of ophrys are self-pollinating and don't crave insect pollination at all.

Botanical Name: Caleana major

Another flower that uses pseudocopulation is the flight duck orchid, plant in eastern and southern Australia (Queensland to South Australia and Tasmania).

Caleana major attracts male sawflies visually and with odor for pollination.

The first specimen was collected at the site of the Sydney Opera House in 1803, simply has been difficult to cultivate in captivity due to the root arrangement requiring vegetative fungi constitute typically in the wild.

When a sawfly lands on the flower, its weight forces the lip (labellum) to spring down and trap it and the just fashion out is an exit where the insect gets covered in pollen. The sawfly and so flies to some other orchid and pollinates it.

Plants may flower for one to 2 years, then weaken and dice. They can abound up to 50cm high and have upwardly to 4 flowers on their stem.

Botanical Name: Habenaria radiata

Institute in Red china, Japan, Korea, and Russian federation, the white egret orchid is too known as the fringed orchid, crane orchid or Sagiso and is one of Nippon'south most famous orchids. It tin have up to 8 flowers on its stalk and each bloom is about 4cm wide.

Habenaria radiata is fast becoming endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction and requires some attention to grow in captivity.

Yet, it still grows in the private gardens of orchid collectors, in not-urbanized mountain areas at over 500m elevation and in protected Japanese bogs where flower viewing is allowed. Other varieties of habenaria have egret-like flowers equally well, including some with variegation and different wingspans.

Botanical Proper name: Phalaenopsis

The moth orchid is otherwise known as the bird'southward head orchid, because from a distance, multiple flowers wait like a group of moths flight, and closer upward, a bird's caput tin be seen.

Constitute in southeast Asia, the Philippines, and northern Australia, the moth orchid has many artificial hybrids that have been cultivated from over 60 species.

Some species of phalaenopsis in Malaysia tin can bloom at the same fourth dimension when they experience certain weather condition weather condition.

Phalaenopsis is 1 of the more than popular orchids because at that place are many to cull from and it can be cultivated at home easily, requiring some repotting, a bright windowsill, fertiliser, and consequent moisture.

Mature plants with strong root systems tin bloom all year round, while showtime plants can bloom for about 2 months.

Botanical Name: Peristeria elata

The dove orchid is also known equally the Holy Ghost orchid.

It is institute from Cardinal America to Ecuador and Venezuela and is the national bloom of Panama.

What is strange about this orchid is that its perfume smells like beer.

Peristeria elata usually grows from the ground but in humid mount forests, it has been found growing on tree trunks.

Due to over-collection, the dove orchid is on the list of endangered plants, and is near extinct.

Botanical Name: Anguloa uniflora

Likewise known as the cradle orchid, and gunkhole orchid, the anguloa uniflora flower looks like information technology has a infant held in a cradle. Each blossom is up to 10cm wide and has a fragrant minty or cinnamon perfume.

Hailing from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru at elevations of 1400m to 2500m, tulip orchids adopt humid conditions and there are more than 9 species of anguloa (some hybrid species are currently evolving).

Anguloa uniflora is tricky to grow at dwelling house without a lot of attending. The right temperature, soil components, fertiliser and watering schedule is required.

Botanical Name: Prosthechea cochleata

The cockleshell orchid, besides known as the clamshell orchid, has pseudo bulbs that look like hoods growing from the found, from which the bloom blooms.

Information technology is native to Central America, the Due west Indies, Colombia, Venezuela, and southern Florida and is the national flower of Belize, where information technology is also known as the black orchid.

In Florida, the cockleshell orchid is endangered and many wild plants have developed a self-fecundation arrangement (using three anthers instead of one).

Prosthechea cochleata is a commonly cultivated household institute and is easy to take care of. It blooms for upwards to six months and each flower tin can concluding for weeks. Several hybrids accept been produced, including the well-known epi greenish hornet variety.

© 2014 Suzanne Solar day

ghrry on May 27, 2022:

the monkey faced one is cool

tess barstow on May ten, 2022:

is there an orchid that looks as if it resembelems an elephant trunk

Sai on April 02, 2022:

Has the flower crossed with monkey ?

Suzanne Day (writer) from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on June 21, 2017:

I think you can guild some from different webstores, haven't looked into it, simply there's a plethora of seed sellers out there, so cheque information technology out!

Virginia on June 20, 2017:

Can these exist ordered?

Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on September 28, 2015:

Beautiful orchids--all of them. So lovely to see them in color photos with vivid descriptions.

connie Rodriguez on September 11, 2015:

Tin these be orderd,they are cute

Marlene Bertrand from USA on June eleven, 2015:

This is an wild assortment of different-looking orchids. I am peculiarly intrigued by the Dove Orchid because its looks are deceiving. It looks then beautiful, but it smells like beer! That's wild to me. I actually enjoyed reading nearly all of these fabulous flowers.

Patricia Scott from North Cardinal Florida on April xv, 2015:

Wow what a care for this is. I love love flowers of all kinds and have ever been in awe of orchids but take never endemic i.

These are simply scenic specimens you have shared. How clever Mother Nature is to adorn these flowers so skillfully.

thanks for the data and the photos.

Angels are on the fashion to y'all this morn

Voted upwardly++++ shared and pinned to Awesome HubPages. ps

Joy56 on February 07, 2015:

Wow love your insight...... Dear the monkey orchids..... No words.....

poetryman6969 on February 06, 2015:

It seems impossible sometimes that these fantastical plants exist. But the flowers are cute.

Emily Tack from United states on October 29, 2014:

My husband grows some of these orchids, and I am particularly enthralled past the bizarre ones. Here, though, I liked the Tulip Orchid the nearly!

Nancy Tate Hellams from Pendleton, SC on Baronial 30, 2014:

We have a few orchids but nothing like these. I sure enjoyed seeing the pictures and reading about these animal looking orchids

LisaKeating on July 12, 2014:

I just bought my second common orchid. They are and then beautiful. With my first i, all the flower petals fell off in the course of two days for no apparent reason. I've been reading a lot about how to care for them. We'll see.

Christin Sander from Midwest on June 28, 2014:

These orchids are stunning! What an interesting hub. I dearest the bee orchid specially, it really does look like a bee is dangling from the petal. wow. The botanical gardens in my area have a huge Orchid festival I recollect yearly. I've never checked it out before, simply I might. I never realized just how many unlike varieties there are.

Sondra Rochelle from Usa on June twenty, 2014:

Who knew!!! I guess we acquire something new every day. Fun mail!

Sally Gulbrandsen from Norfolk on June twenty, 2014:

Suzanne Day

Some stunning orchids along with some fascinating facts almost them. I recently came beyond the Bee Orchid which I call back is a existent little beauty. Information technology was beingness carefully protected and nurtured in one of our local RSVP Nature reserves. Cheers for sharing this very interesting hub.

Best wishes,

Emerge

Joe from north miami FL on June 17, 2014:

How unbelievable is nature, that is actually quite a flower, I saw that monkey face immediately.

Susan Deppner on May 18, 2014:

I can't pick a favorite - all those orchids are actually pretty! Awesome compilation. I enjoyed it!

dragonflycolor on April 24, 2014:

I take fuchsia colored orchids in my habitation correct at present and they do resemble something weird. Thank you!

jtrader on Apr 21, 2014:

These are all quite interesting creations. Thank you for sharing their dazzler with us.

Suzanne Day (author) from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on April 17, 2014:

Hi everyone, thank you for your kind comments! Yes, they are certainly very rare and unusual orchids and it's hard to collect them or to view them outside of their natural habitat without cultivating hybrids.

Carrie Lee Night from Northeast Usa on April 11, 2014:

Very unique hub. Unbelievable resemblances :). Give thanks you lot for taking the fourth dimension to hand choice a great subject. Have a wonderful week.

K Ocasio on April 11, 2014:

This is and so interesting! I literally showed this to everyone. All in all a proficient article.

precy anza from The states on April 04, 2014:

Wow! Oasis't seen most of these. I really enjoyed looking at all the photos. Cheers for hubbing most these beauties. Up and Fb shared equally I want my fb friends to see this too. :)

LD on April 03, 2014:

I bask looking at orchids merely have not found all of those unusual ones. Thanks for the article.

Rose Clearfield from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Apr 03, 2014:

Fascinating! I had no thought. I love all of the visual examples.

suraj punjabi from jakarta on Apr 02, 2014:

Wow, great stuff. I reckon, rather than going through the hassle of owning a pet monkey (allow solitary a monkey who is hit puberty) its much better to own these lovely orchids in our backyards. Dandy hub go on up the good piece of work. God anoint You.

John Hansen from Gondwana Country on April 02, 2014:

I love orchids, and these are all wonderful. Great hub, wonderful pictures.

Cherylann Mollan from India on April 02, 2014:

This hub is phenomenal! I had not the slightest idea that the Orchid had so many interesting variations. I was very fascinated by the Fly Orchid, they give us one of the best lessons in the art of deception! Dandy hub. Voted up. :)

Mona Sabalones Gonzalez from Philippines on Apr 01, 2014:

Very interesting hub. I plan to share this on my sister's FB page, as she loves gardening, and I think she will get a kick out of this.

Yvette Stupart PhD from Jamaica on April 01, 2014:

This is a beautiful, informative, and interesting hub! I love all the pictures of the orchids. But the tulip orchids - the ones that wait like they are cradling babies, I dearest the best.

FlourishAnyway from The states on Apr 01, 2014:

I love your artistic flair. This topic is about unusual, and you have done a fine, fine job as always. Voting upward +++, pinning, and shared.

Audrey Howitt from California on April 01, 2014:

Very unusual types! I loved the Monkey faces!

BigBlue54 from Hull, East Yorkshire on April 01, 2014:

Neat Hub Suzanne. Dearest it. :)

mactavers on April 01, 2014:

Very unusual topic, neat photos, and well written