Its most interesting characteristic is a bucket-shaped...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Its most interesting characteristic is a bucket-shaped appendage peculiar to the species.

This is filled with a slow-dripping fluid, not a nectar, whose purpose seems to be to wet the wings of the hungry bee when he passes the slippery sides and thus force him to creep through a narrow passage.

Here he forcibly brushes the stigmatic cavity, finds crests spread for him to nibble, and picks up the pollen while feeding.

He flies off and repeats the process on another Coryanthes and the cycle is completed.

In Pterostylus, after the insect enters, the labellum shuts a little trap door, forcing him to leave by the back through a passageway where the cramped quarters facilitate the performance of his function.

Masdevallia fenestra never fully opens but has tiny windows that remain open until pollination occurs, when they are drawn shut.

Darwin admitted that he was never able to determine the method of pollination for this flower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara