Orchid help needed for Miss Marple (UK TV show)

[marple]

Brilliant - now we just have to find one!

[Dorothy]

I further checked the Royal Botanical Garden, Kew checklist for Taeniophyllum Aphyllorchis and it doesn't appear there -
http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/qsearch.do

[shakkai]

Burnham Orchids in Devon have Ludisia discolor - the standard 'Jewel Orchid'

Burnham Nurseries - Online Orchid Shop

They might be able to suggest something that they have in flower that resembles a snake, as well, they are really nice people. (That's also where I got my Pterostylis AKA Greenhood - so maybe they have some that will be coming into bloom??)

I think we can safely say that the orchid names are entirely made up by the writers. Shame, that, as there is a real name to fit almost any criteria!

[shakkai]

And its not serpentilingua, but the I did see
Paraphalaenopsis labukensis available here:

Paraphalaenopsis labukensis - Großräschener Orchideen

and delivery is pretty quick.

[Bird Song Farm]

First of all Marple, thank you for finding the orchid board and for asking these questions! It kind of makes us feel like part of the show!

Paraphalaenopsis serpentilingua is often referred to as the "serpent orchid" because it's lip resembles a snakes forked tongue. Its leaves are also round (terete) and some think that is why it is called the snake orchid. It shouldn't be to hard to find, I have one but it is a couple of years away from blooming.

Paraphalaenopsis serpentilingua: Paraphalaenopsis serpentilingua Species Orchid Plant - eBay (item 130243433415 end time Aug-31-08 06:38:12 PDT)



There are a few phalaenopsis that have leaves that resemble a snake skin, P. schilleriana being one.

Thanks for bringing some accuracy to the show, it also gripes me when blatant errors are made on television.

Al

[Jadeco]

@ Dorothy - you are amazing.

[cb977]

Checking in Orchidwiz and did find Taeniophyllum but it's in the Vandaceous group, not a jewel orchid. The name Aphyllorchis is not listed for any of them

Thanks for including Orchidboard in your research! What a blast!!!

You'll have to let us know when that episode is airing so we can search for it

[cb977]

Originally Posted by Jadeco

@ Dorothy - you are amazing.

[Dorothy]

Oh you guys
All for the love of orchids

[Heleendje]

Hi everyone, sorry to barge in like this, this is my first post and to be honest, I don't know the first thing about orchids :S.

I do, however, have a particular interest in seeing this particular Miss Marple episode on the air as SOON as possible so I thought I'd have a google and throw in my two cents :-) Hope I can be of some help at all ...

Right, so: on page one of this thread, someone (forgot who, sorry) mentioned that there is indeed a type of orchid called "rattlesnake orchid", which according to him/her doesn't look like a snake at all.

Allow a total orchid ignoramus to beg to differ

I found these lovely piccies on the Web:
http://www.orchidspecies.com/orphotd...iimbricata.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y26...5/IMG_9790.jpg
(and, from somewhere on this very board: the spike)
Weird unusual orchids?

...which to me bear a pretty uncanny resemblance to the tail of a snake, when not in bloom! (not that I'm too familiar with snakes either... but they're those long and bendy things that bite you, aren't they? and besides, the average ITV viewer won't be a snake or orchid expert either, mhah!)

Naively assuming that the Intertubes are ALWAYS right :-D that is indeed a picture of one of those rattlesnake orchidy things, or to call them with their fancy names (I do know some Latin!): Pholidota Imbricata. Lots more pics can be found on google!

As for purchase, this online shop has another orchid of the Pholidota genus (it is a genus isn't it?), that could pass for a snake when you keep your camera at a safe distance

Hope this can be of any use, so you can get that bloomin' (hah! see what I did there!) thing up on the telly

Many regards,

Heleen
xxx