RHH's photos with the keyword: trichoceros

I purchased this as a Trichoceros species from Peru and seems to fit best the description of Trichoceros hajekiorum. It has a rambling habit with the small pseudobulbs spaced at 3-4 cm intervals, each carrying a tiny leaf at the top of the pseudobulb and with larger sheathing leaves around the pseudobulb. The 8 cm flower spikes come from the base of the pseudobulb and carry two flowers. Its flowers are designed to mimic an insect, probably a fly of some kind and this pollination is effected.

Trichoceros is a genus of 10-15 species from the Andes mountains. This particular species is from Peru. As is evident from the photo, these flowers are insect mimics, probably mimicking some kind of fly for the purposes of pollination. When the insect attempts to mate with the flower it pollinates it, rather a cruel trick. The flowers are also non-resupinate, that is, they do not twist around as most orchids do and hold their lips downward. They, therefore, appear to be upside-down, though it is really the majority of other orchids, those that do twist their flowers around, that are actually upside-down. The fact that these do not twist around very likely facilitates pollination. More information and another picture of the plant can be found at: orchidsinbloom-ron.blogspot.com/2010/08/trichoceros-speci...