RHH's photos with the keyword: porroglossum

Here's a really weird one. This is Porroglossum rodrigoi, an orchid related to Masdevallia and Pleurothallis, and another with a hinged lip. In this photo the lip is down and sticking out between the orange tails of the flower, but when disturbed by a small insect it snaps up jamming the insect against the column of the flower (also visible near the top of the flower) and effecting pollination. It has to be a small insect because these are very small flowers, less than 1.5 cm and they grow on a tiny plant that is only a few centimeters tall. There are other photos at the link of the front of the flower, of the plant and of the flower with the lip up against the column, the result of a toothpick, not an insect. The plant is from Colombia.

Porroglossum meridionale is another orchid oddity. These tiny flowers are only 1.5 cm (0.5 in.) and have a lip that is hinged and springs up against the column, trapping whatever small insect lands on it. Eventually the lip relaxes, releasing the insect and effecting pollination. The species is from Peru and is related to Masdevallia.

More odd than beautiful, this orchid belongs to a genus of plants that have moveable, insect-trapping lips. In this case the lip is the tongue-like, pinkish part between the "arms." When disturbed by an insect the lip snaps up trapping the insect against the reproductive structures inside the flower and effecting pollination. The flower is not carnivorous and does not "eat" the insects. It merely uses them for pollination. There is a photo on the blog post (link below) of the flower with the lip in the insect-trapping position. The flowers come in succession on long wiry spikes and the plant is from Ecuador. It is related to Masdevallia.

Porroglossum is a genus of miniature orchids all of which have spring-loaded moveable, insect-trapping lips. When the flower is disturbed by a visiting insect, the lip springs up trapping the insect against the column and hopefully effecting pollination. The genus is related to Masdevallia and includes about 50 species. This small plant is Porroglossum tripollex from Ecuador. I have two of these, one with brown "tails" and this with yellow. The flower looks to me like a bird's beak, but tripollex means "three thumbs," a resemblance I do not see. It is cool to cold growing and comes from high altitude montane forests and is very small, the flowers only a half inch long (1.3 cm).. In this photo the lower flower has its insect-trapping lip in the open position, while the upper flower has its lip in the closed position The plant is difficult to photograph with the lips open because the slightest disturbance cause the lips to snap shot. I left the plant sit for several hours where I was photographing it waiting for the lips to spring open again.

This little orchid is from Ecuador. It belong to a genus of of orchids that all have hinged, insect-trapping lips. When the lip is touched it springs up trapping the insect between the lip and column and effecting pollination. Eventually the lip swings down once again and the process is repeated if pollination is not effected. In this photo the lip is up against the column due to my moving the plant for photographs. I'll have to post another picture of the flower with the lip down. The plant is only 4 cm tall and the flowers are 1 cm in size, but come singly on quite long, wiry spikes, 12-15 cm long, and as can be seen in the photo, the flowers have glandular hairs scattered over the surface of the flower..

This is another unique orchid. It traps insects! The little lip at the bottom of the flower flips up when an insect lands on it and forces the insect against the column thus effecting pollination. It is from Peru (like Paddington) and is quite a tiny plant, a couple of inches tall, with 4-6 inch flower spikes and half-inch flowers. There are pictures of the flowers with the hinge both down and up here: orchidsinbloom-ron.blogspot.com/2012/04/porroglossum-meri...

Porroglossum tripollex belongs to a unique group of orchids that trap insects. The lip, visible at the bottom of the flower, when disturbed by a small insect swings up and traps the insect against the column of the flower, thus effecting pollination. It must be a rather traumatic event for the insect, but rather ingenious. This species is from Ecuador and the flowers are around a half inch in size. There are more pictures of the flowers with the lip closed at the link below. orchidsinbloom-ron.blogspot.com/2013/04/porroglossum-trip...

This is another insect-trapping orchid. The "spring" to which the lip is attached can be clearly seen and when an insect lands on the lip it flips up after a few seconds trapping the insect for the purpose of pollination. These odd flowers are from Ecuador and are slightly over a half inch in size. There are more pictures of the flowers with the lip "closed" and of the plant at the link below. orchidsinbloom-ron.blogspot.com/2013/04/porroglossum-drei...