A Terrestrial Beauty In Deep Forest Cover

Calanthe sylvatica,   Syn. Calanthe masuca 

A very beautiful orchid found on the forest floor. Comes in various colors ranging from almost whitish pink to purple to deep purple. They love deep shade of trees and shrubs. Most of the time we notice these plants by its striking flowers. The leaves will be hidden below a layer of shrubs and wines.

 A very interesting feature of this plant is that the lip of the older flowers turn bright orange. They flower irrespective of the season while under cultivation. But in nature I found them flowering in July-August. I've come across these beauties at higher elevations above 1000m ASL. Butt they grow well and flower in plains as well. Grow them away from bright sunlight...

 Calanthe sylvatica under cultivation

 Calanthe sylvatica under cultivation

 Lips of the older fowers turn orange

Calanthe sylvatica growing in deep forest cover

Cymbedium bicolor

Cymbedium bicolor is a fairly common orchid found in Kerala. This species grows to form big clumps. The leathery, thick leaves are 60 - 90 cms long.

Recently I came across this plant near Kanjirappally in Kerala. It was growing on a tree stump by the road side. I could count more than fifty bunches of flowers on this magnificent specimen. Generally, the flowering period for this species is from January to April. I've found them blooming in other seasons too. 

This is one of the heat tolerant type cymbedium species and hence nowadays widely used for breeding heat tolerant strains of hybrid Cymbediums, which is becoming more and more popular.