The twin-lipped dendrobium

[Dorsetman]

This is a Den. chrysotoxum. I have several plants of different clones - this is the first to flower this year, and not flowered before.One flower is freak- a hiccup in the one s expression sequence, so that there are two lips - and also 6 sepals/petals, and a single column with two sets of pollinia. Probably won't do this again, but interesting to see.

[Sheryl]

Very cool! And are you a night owl Geoff?

[Chris in Hamilton]

Never seen that before on an orchid. When a boy I found a dandelion flower that was 3" across with a stem that was almost a 1/2" wide. You could see the conjoined stems of what should have been 4-5 flowers. Flowers are fun!

[Dorsetman]

Night owl ? I don't seem to sleep continuously for more than a couple of hours, although usually I get three such spells, then maybe a shorter one before I get up, so that I do get my 7 hours in, and often I get up and have a cup of tea, glass of milk or whatever, and why not just look at my email whilst I am up....
But currently we have had wall to wall sunshine for 7 weeks , and even here, one mile from the sea with all those trillions of tons of seawater at 15 deg.C ( which greatly modifies our climate - the effect extends only say 3 miles inland ) the temperatures are creeping up. 27 degrees in my bedroom last night - and that make it difficult to sleep. All my orchid friends are running out of water (stored rain) and switching to tap water, which here is loaded with lime ( the subsoil is chalk). I use RO water a lot, so I am OK , but my bill (check to you ?) from Wessex Water Company is going to be eye watering....
So , after my digression, yes, does that make me an night owl ?

[JDT]

I have only seen something like this in one orchid since I started collecting, they do surprise you every once in awhile!

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Stunning, Geoff! Love the blooms and the photos. The hiccup is actually pretty cool too.

cheers,
BD