Archive 2015 · Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum caprinum

e6filmuser
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum caprinum

I first came across this, to be accurate, nearly tripped over it, in a meadow in the French Alps. I seemed to be the shrivelled remnants of some plant. However, close examination showed it (two plants within a metre or two) to be very much alive but possibly bleached by the sun.

My plant is grown under glass in England. The colours are subdued but rather more intense than the wild ones I saw.

This species in the same genus as the Giant Orchid, posted recently. The Giant Orchid flowers from January to May, the Lizard from May to July. There are some colonies, which I have not seen, of the Lizard Orchid in southern England. The preferred name may now be H. jankae , depending on who you ask.

The flowers of this species show extreme morphology for a European species but there are many weird and wonderful forms in orchids from warm or hot climates. I see it as a potential subject for art or photography and have posted a number of images, to show some of this potential.

In view of the versatility of this subject for images, I am taking the unusual step of first (first day) posting some close-ups at low magnification, following (second day, having, hopefully, created an appetite) with a post of closer views from various angles.

Should anyone be inspired to obtain such an orchid, here is a health warning. The CITES regulations are fearsome for orchids. Any imported without the proper paperwork are likely to be confiscated (probably destroyed to "protect" them). Only cultivated, not collected wild, plants should be obtained. I don't know much about outside the EU but inside, cultivated orchids can be traded freely without CITES paperwork, but do check your own local regulations.

These were all daylight shots, EM-1, probably all f11 or 16, typically at around 1/100, ISO 400 or 800, hand-held. (Those streamers are a nightmare in any trace of breeze!). The plant was sometimes leaning over at quite an angle. In some shots I have made the stem appear to be vertical.

Harold

Edited on Jan 23, 2015 at 03:39 AM · View previous versions

Jan 22, 2015 at 02:07 AM

e6filmuser
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum caprinum

I have learned a little bit more about non-Photoshop cloning and here is a botched version of the last image with the superfluous leaf removed.

Harold

Jan 22, 2015 at 11:27 AM

birdied
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum caprinum

Nice ones Harold.

Birdie

Jan 22, 2015 at 05:01 PM

LordV
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum caprinum

Lovely series.
Brian V.

Jan 23, 2015 at 01:49 AM

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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum caprinum

Thanks, Birdie and Brian.

I was unsure if there was a small amount of JPEG noise. There was a tiny amount and I have now removed it and uploaded the images again.

The remainder of the images are now posted in their on topic.

Harold

Jan 23, 2015 at 01:59 AM


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