Bee Orchid

The Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) is a perennial, temperate climate species of orchid generally found growing on semi-dry turf, on limestone, calcareous dunes or in open areas in woodland. The Bee Orchid is a common plant in the Mediterranean region eastwards to the Black Sea but is less common in its northern range being uncommon or local in Germany and Ireland. In the UK it has a distinct south-eastern preference, being more common in England, whereas it is only to be found in coastal regions of Wales and some parts of Northern Ireland. In Scotland it was thought to be extinct, but was rediscovered in Ayrshire in 2003. In some countries the plants have protected status. They are unusual in that in some years they appear in great numbers, then sometimes only reappear after an absence of many years.

This hardy orchid grows to a height of 30 cm. They live in a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhiza ( a soil-dwelling fungus).

The Bee Orchid develops small rosettes of leaves in autumn. They slowly continue to grow during winter. Flowers appear the following year. Each year, it produces from one to ten flowers on a spike, blooming from June to July. The flowers are almost exclusively self-pollinating in the northern ranges of the plants distribution, pollination by the solitary bee Eucera occurs sometimes in the Mediterranean area. The petals are marginal and spread out, colored mauve to pink. The flower is furry to the touch and is quite variable in the pattern of coloration, but usually brownish-red with yellow markings.

The alternate leaves are elliptical and pointed.

Bees in the past have promoted the evolution of bee orchids. Male bees, over many generations of cumulative orchid evolution, have built up the bee-like shape through trying to copulate with flowers, and hence carrying pollen.

The Bee Orchid is the county flower of Bedfordshire.

Crateva religiosa

The flowering tree Crateva religiosa (syn Crataeva religiosa, Crateva adansonii) is called the sacred garlic pear and temple plant, and many other names in a variety of dialects, including abiyuch, barna, varuna, and bidasi. The tree is sometimes called the spider tree because the showy flowers bear long, spidery stamens. It is native to Japan, Australia, much of Southeast Asia and several south Pacific islands. It is grown elsewhere for fruit, especially in parts of the African continent.

The fruit of the tree is edible. The nectar-filled flowers are attractive to a multitude of insects and birds. The pierid butterfly (Hebomoia glaucippe) is a frequent visitor to this plant

tulip

A tulip is a bulbous plant in the genus Tulipa, comprising 109 species with showy flowers, in the family Liliaceae.The species native range includes southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia from Anatolia and Iran in the west to northeast of China. The centre of diversity of the genus is in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan. A number of species and many hybrid cultivars are grown in gardens, used as pot plants or as fresh cut flowers. Most cultivars of tulip are derived from Tulipa gesneriana.

The species are perennials from bulbs, the tunicate bulbs often produced on the ends of stolons and covered with hairless to variously hairy papery coverings. The species include short low-growing plants to tall upright plants, growing from 10 to 70 centimeters (4–27 in) tall. They can even grow in the cold and snowy winter. Plants typically have 2 to 6 leaves, with some species having up to 12 leaves. The cauline foliage is strap-shaped, waxy-coated, usually light to medium green and alternately arranged. The blades are somewhat fleshy and linear to oblong in shape. The large flowers are produced on scapes or subscapose stems normally lacking bracts. The stems have no leaves to a few leaves, with large species having some leaves and smaller species have none. Typically species have one flower per stem but a few species have up to four flowers. The colourful and attractive cup shaped flowers typically have three petals and three sepals, which are most often termed tepals because they are nearly identical. The six petaloid tepals are often marked near the bases with darker markings. The flowers have six basifixed, distinct stamens with filaments shorter than the tepals and the stigmas are districtly 3-lobed. The ovaries are superior with three chambers. The 3 angled fruits are leathery textured capsules, ellipsoid to subglobose in shape, containing numerous flat disc-shaped seeds in two rows per locule.The flat, light to dark brown seeds are arranged in two rows per chamber and have very thin seed coats and endosperm that does not normally fill the entire seed coat

Camellia japonica

The Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica) is one of the best known species of Camellia. It is a member of the Theaceae family or tea family. It is a flowering shrub or a small tree native to Japan, Korea and China.It is also the official state flower of Alabama. It is also called the “rose of winter

Morphology
In its natural habitats the wild plant of Camellia japonica grows to 6-9 meters (20-30 feet) tall. It has usually red, five-petaled flowers of 5-8 cm (2-3 in) diameter.These are the most common Camellias seen in Chinese Gardens.

There are more than 2000 hybrids developed from Camellia japonica. The shade of the flowers can vary from red to pink to white and sometimes have multi-coloured stripes or specks.

The cultivars of Camellia japonica include 'Elegans' with large pink flowers which often have white streaks, 'Guilio Nuccio' with red to pinkish petals and yellow stamens, 'Mathotiana Alba' with pure white flowers, and the light crimson semi-double-flowered 'The Czar'.

The leaves of the Camellia japonica are alternate, simple, broadly elliptic, thick and smooth. The length of the leaves ranges from 7.5 – 12 cm and the width ranges from 3 – 7 cm. The upper side of the leaf is dark green in color, and the lower side of the leaf is a paler green. The leaves are serrate. Flowers of wild Camellia japonica usually have less petals, usually either 5 or 6, than cultivated plants.

Camellia japonica Alba Plena is one of the most beautiful and most prized of all the Camellias. It is nicknamed the “Bourbon Camellia”. Captain Connor of the East Indiaman, brought the flower to England in 1792. The flowers are pure white and about 3 to 4 inches across. It blooms earlier than most cultivated Camellias, in the early winter or spring, and can flower for 4 to 5 months

The zig-zag camellia or Camellia japonica 'Unryu' has different zig zag branching patterns. The plant is called “Unryu” which means “dragon in the clouds”. The Japanese believe it looks like a dragon climbing up to the sky. Another type of rare Camellia is called the fishtail Camellia or Camellia japonica 'Kingyo-tsubaki'. The tips of the leaves of this plant resemble a fish's tail.

C. japonica leaves are eaten by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera, such as The Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia). The Japanese white eye bird, or Zosterops japonica, pollinates Camellia japonica.

Normally, Camellias cannot be grown in colder climates. However, breeding of Camellias has produced many hybrids which are tolerant of zone 5 and zone 6 winters. Camellias can now grow in parts of New England, Pacific Northwest, even Ontario, Canada. Camellias should be planted in the shade in organic, somewhat acidic, semi-moist but well drained soil. If the soil is not well drained, it can cause root rottage

Diseases
Some fungal and algal diseases include Spot Disease, which gives the upper side of leaves a silver color and round spots, and can cause loss of leaves; Black Mold; Leaf Spot; Leaf Gall; Flower Blight which causes flowers to become brown and fall; Root Rot; and Canker caused by the fungus Glomerella cingulata which penetrates plants through wounds. Some insects and pests of Camellia japonica are the Fuller Rose Beetles Pantomorus cervinus, Mealybugs Planococcus citri and Pseudococcus longispinus, Weevils Otiorhyncus salcatus and Otiorhyncus ovatus, and Tea scales Fiorinia theae. Some physiological diseases include Salt Injury which results from high levels of salt in soil; Chlorosis which is thought to be caused lack of certain elements in soil; Bud Drop which causes loss or decay of buds and can be caused by over watering, high temperatures, or pot bound roots. Other diseases are Oedema and sunburn. Not much is known about viral diseases in Camellia japonica

History
The genus of the Camellia japonica was named after a Jesuit priest and botanist named George Kamel.Carl Linnaeus gave Camellia japonica the specific epithet japonica because Engelbert Kaempfer was the first to give a description of the plant while in Japan.

Camellia japonica is valued for its beautiful flowers, which can be single, semi-double flowered or double flowered. Camellias were introduced into Europe during the 18th century and had already been cultivated in the Orient for thousands of years. Robert James of Essex, England, is thought to have brought back the first live Camellia to England in 1739. Camellias were first sold in 1807 in an American nursery as greenhouse plants, but were soon sold to be grown outdoors in the south.

Camellia japonica has appeared in paintings and porcelain since the 11th century. Early paintings of the plant are usually of the single red flowering type. However, a single white flowering plant is shown in the scroll of the Four Magpies of the Song Dynasty. Camellias are seen as lucky symbols for the Chinese New Year and spring and were even used as offerings to the gods during the Chinese New Year. It is also thought that Chinese women would never wear a Camellia in their hair because it opened much later after the bud formed. This was thought to signify that she would not have a son for a long time.

One of the most important plants related to Camellia japonica is the Camellia sinensis, which is the plant tea comes from. This plant is not usually grown in gardens because it has small white flowers, unlike the Camellia japonica, which has larger, more beautiful flowers. It is not seen in art as often as the Camellia japonica, but it is shown in a painting called the Song Hundred Flowers which hangs in the Palace Museum in Beijing. Camellia sinensis may have been used as medicine during the Shang Dynasty. It was first used for drinking during the Zhou Dynasty.

The following is a poem written by English evangelical Protestant writer Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna:

THE WHITE CAMELLIA JAPONICA

Thou beauteous child of purity and grace, What element could yield so fair a birth? Defilement bore me - my abiding place Was mid the foul clods of polluted earth. But light looked on me from a holier sphere, To draw me heavenward - then I rose and shone; And can I vainly to thine eye appear, Thou dust-born gazer? make the type thine own. From thy dark dwelling look thou forth, and see The purer beams that brings a lovelier change for thee.

—Charlotte Elizabeth, Posthumous and other poems

Jasmine

Jasmine (Jasminum, pronounced /ˈdʒæzmɨnəm/, from Old French Jasmine which is from the Persian yasmin, i.e. "gift from God", via Arabic is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae), with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. Most species grow as climbers on other plants or are trained in gardens on chicken wire, trellis gates or fences, or made to scramble through shrubs of open texture. The leaves can be either evergreen (green all year round) or deciduous (falling in autumn).

Cultivation and uses

Widely cultivated for its flowers, jasmine is enjoyed in the garden, as a house plant, and as cut flowers. The flowers are worn by women in their hair in southern and southeast Asia. The delicate jasmine flower opens only at night and may be plucked in the morning when the tiny petals are tightly closed, then stored in a cool place until night. The petals begin to open between six and eight in the evening, as the temperature lowers.

Jasmine Tea

Jasmine tea is consumed in China, where it is called jasmine-flower tea (茉莉花茶; pinyin: mò lì huā chá). Jasminum sambac flowers are also used to make so-called jasmine tea, which often has a base of green tea, but sometimes an Oolong base is used. Flowers and tea are "mated" in machines that control temperature and humidity. It takes four hours or so for the tea to absorb the fragrance and flavour of the jasmine blossoms, and for the highest grades, this process may be repeated as many as seven times. Because the tea has absorbed moisture from the flowers, it must be refired to prevent spoilage. The spent flowers may or may not be removed from the final product, as the flowers are completely dry and contain no aroma. Giant fans are used to blow away and remove the petals from the denser tea leaves. If present, they simply add visual appeal and are no indication of the quality of the tea.

Jasmine Syrup

The French are known for their jasmine syrup, most commonly made from an extract of jasmine flowers. In the United States, this French jasmine syrup is used to make jasmine scones and marshmallows.

Jasmine Essential Oil

Jasmine essential oil is in common use. Its flowers are either extracted by the labour-intensive method of enfleurage or through chemical extraction. It is expensive due to the large number of flowers needed to produce a small amount of oil. The flowers have to be gathered at night because the odour of jasmine is more powerful after dark. The flowers are laid out on cotton cloths soaked in olive oil for several days and then extracted leaving the true jasmine essence. Some of the countries producing jasmine essential oil are India, Egypt, China and Morocco.

Jasmine Absolute used in Perfume and Incense

Its chemical constituents include methyl anthranilate, indole, benzyl alcohol, linalool, and skatole. Many species also yield an absolute, which is used in perfumes and incense.

Cultural importance and other information
The White Jasmine Branch, painting of ink and color on silk by Chinese artist Zhao Chang, early 12th century

Jasmine is the national flower of the following countries:

* It is the Philippines’ national flower, where it is known as "Sampaguita", and is usually strung on garlands which are then used to adorn religious images.
* Indonesia, where the variety Jasminum sambac is the "puspa bangsa" (national flower), and goes by the name "Melati". It is the most important flower in wedding ceremonies for ethnic Indonesians, especially in the island of Java.
* Pakistan, where Jasminum officinale is known as the "Chambeli" or "Yasmine" is the national flower.

In Syria, it is the symbolic flower of Damascus, which is called the City of Jasmines.

J. fluminense is an invasive species in Hawaii, where it is sometimes known by the inaccurate name "Brazilian Jasmine". J. dichotomum is also invasive in Florida.

In Thailand, jasmine flowers are used as a symbol of the mother.

In Okinawa, Japan, Jasmine Tea is known as Sanpin Cha (さんぴん茶).
[edit] Cultural importance of Jasmine in India
A Jasmine flower vendor in Chennai, India

* Jasmine Flower, depending on variety, has different names in many languages in India, and is under one named in others; some of the names are

"Maalatie" or "Mallika" in Sanskrit

"Chameli", "Juhie", or "Motiyaa" in Hindi, the last being the thicker variety on smaller shrubs that might also grown as climber. The name "Motiyaa" refers to the flower being compared to pearls in looks and beauty, since it is white, round and beautiful, and "Moti" being pearl (from "Muktaa" or "Muktamani" or "Mauktika" in Sanskrt, Mukta also meaning free in the sense unbounded) in Hindi.

"Jaaie", "Juie", "Saayalie", "Chamelie" or "Mogaraa" in Marathi; the last is "Motiyaa" in Hindi. The first has smaller leaves and larger petals while the second reverses that, the third is creamy in texture (Saay meaning cream in Marathi), and the fourth is yet another variety.

"Malligai" in various southern languages including Tamil

* In Tamil Nadu, Jasmine is mainly produced at Madurai District and the same is transported to Mumbai / Bombay for local use as well as it is exported to other countries from there.
* The Madurai city is called as "Malligai Maanagar" (City of Jasmine)

* Throughout most of India, especially in western and southern states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, etc, Jasmine (along with other popular flowers such as roses and many others) is cultivated in the home gardens or potted plants around homes, for regular worship at home as well as for wearing in hair (for girls and women of the house), and also in the Agricultural fields for sales, for the purposes above as well as other (such as perfume industry) purposes.

* Jasmine Flower sellers (vendors) selling ready garlands, or bunches in case of the thicker variety (Motiyaa or Mogaraa, of Jasmine (and also flowers by weight) is a common site seen in most city streets, around entrances to Temples, and major business areas including bus stands, in many parts of India, majorly so beginning with Mumbai and generally from Maharashtra onwards in all of south India. In Kolkata too it is not a totally unfamiliar sight, though in north women and girls generally by tradition do not wear flowers in hair so the sales on roads are fewer.

* Jasmine flower is mainly worn in the hair of ladies for its beauty and fragrance. Further it is used for flower decorations, in marriages and important functions.
* Jasmine is cultivated at Pangala, in Karnataka, India, and exported to Middle Eastern countries.[citation needed]

Orchid Bees - Euglossa

Lilium

"lily" and "lilium" redirect here. For other uses, see lily (disambiguation) and lilium (disambiguation).
The genus Lilium are herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. Lilies comprise a genus of about 110 species in the lily family (Liliaceae) and are important as large showy flowering garden plants. Additionally, they are important culturally and in literature in much of the world.

Some species are sometimes grown or harvested for the edible bulbs.

The species in this genus are the true lilies. Many other plants exist with "lily" in the common English name, some of which are quite unrelated to the true lilies.

Range

The range of lilies in the Old World extends across much of Europe, the north Mediterranean region, across most of Asia to Japan, south to the Nilgiri mountains in India, and south to the Philippines. In the New World they extend from southern Canada through much of the United States.

They are commonly adapted to either woodland habitats, often montane, or sometimes to grassland habitats. A few can survive in marshland and epiphytes are known in southeast Asia (including L. arboricola). In general they prefer moderately acidic or lime-free soils.

Botany
Christmas Lillium (Lilium longiflorum). 1. Stigma, 2. Style, 3. Stamens, 4. Filament, 5. Petal

Lilies are leafy stemmed herbs. They form naked or tunic-less scaly underground bulbs from which they overwinter. In some North American species the base of the bulb develops into rhizomes, on which numerous small bulbs are found. Some species develop stolons. Most bulbs are deeply buried, but a few species form bulbs near the soil surface. Many species form stem-roots. With these, the bulb grows naturally at some depth in the soil, and each year the new stem puts out adventitious roots above the bulb as it emerges from the soil. These roots are in addition to the basal roots that develop at the base of the bulb.

Most species are deciduous, but a few species (Lilium candidum, Lilium catesbaei) bear a basal rosette of leaves during dormancy.

Seeds ripen in late summer. They exhibit varying and sometimes complex germination patterns, many adapted to cool temperate climates.

The large flowers have six tepals, are often fragrant, and come in a range of colours ranging through whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and purples. Markings include spots, brush strokes and picotees. The plants are summer flowering.

Some species formerly included within this genus have now been placed in other genera. These include Cardiocrinum, Notholirion, Nomocharis and some Fritillaria.

Taxonomy

Taxonomical division in sections follows the classical division of Comber, species acceptance follows World Checklist of Liliaceae, the taxonomy of section Pseudolirium is from the Flora of North America, the taxonomy of Section Liriotypus is given in consideration of Resetnik et al. 2007 , the taxonomy of Chinese species (various sections) follows the Flora of China and the taxonomy of Section Archelirion follows Nishikawa et al.as does the taxonomy of Section Archelirion