Thursday, July 8, 2010

Flutterby: Encyclia tampensis (Florida Butterfly Orchid) from Sarasota County, Florida

We didn't quite make it to Myakka River State Park the other day. We were diverted by a report of a specimen-sized Butterfly Orchid in flower in a nearby wildland, so we went there instead. By the time we finished the 1.6 mile hike to the orchid and back, the children were hot and tired, so we decided call it quits early and to head over to a friend's house and cook up some barbecue. Our friend ended up accidentally putting a bit too much charcoal in the grill and it became about as hot as the inside of a volcano...I am still waiting for some of those singed arm hairs to grow back. Fun times!

Here are two images of this impressive specimen plant...over one hundred 1.5-inch flowers on multiple flower spikes (click to see the images at full size):




You can read more about this orchid at my Florida Butterfly Orchid Webpage:

Click here to find out more about Encyclia tampensis - The Florida Butterfly Orchid

Enjoy!

---Prem

2 comments:

rick said...

I believe These are growing in our back yard area. We live in port st lucie on the east coast,and I am still not positive. We have been trying to determine the type all summer long. The picture is a dead ringer. now we can compare the two! Thanks for the post

R. C. Allen said...

Your links are on my blog. I have been to your website many times but I also enjoy the blog. The butterfly orchid is also one of my favorite orchids. I am still trying to get a picture of the bee ore bees that pollinate it. I love its fragrance! The plant I spoke of is blooming for the second time this year in a pond cypress swamp in sw fl.~RC Allen
http://floridagreenbean.blogspot.com/

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