Orchid help needed for Miss Marple (UK TV show)
 

Hi,

I am working on a British TV show called 'Miss Marple," and am in need of some advice on orchids!!

Firstly - in the script, (which is set in 1955) it describes one of the characters cross-pollenating some orchids - could someone tell me how this would have be done? Is it like with other plants where you use a brush etc?

Second question - there is a 'snake' orchid mentioned - and another character says something along the lines of 'ooh yes it does look like a snake, doesn't it?' - could someone advise me as to what orchid might be suitable for this? I have tried googling but a number of orchids come up...

Many thanks - all help is greatly appreciated!!

Best wishes,

Naomi

I hate answering questions with questions but in this case where accuracy could make a difference......

Your question #1: Does the audience know what kind of orchid is being talked about? As in has a specific genus been mentioned?

Your question #2: Much the same as no. 1. Does the audience know/see an orchid in front of the actors?
Are they talking about the blossom or the leaves?

By the way, I love the show!!!

Al

From the script:

"EVANS almost reverently brushes pollen from an orchid on to a small glass plate. He looks very sad and lifts the plate delicately with both hands."

-

"EVANS still with his air of sadness, carries the glass plate to another orchid. He brushes the pollen on to the new plant and gazes at it emotionally."

-


"CLOSE ON an orchid like a snake.

EVANS: Don’t touch that darling. Sidenium Thalenopsis. My little serpent orchid."


We have pointed out to our script editors that we are not so sure that there is such a thing as 'Sidenium Thalenopsis" but we just need to find either a 'serpent orchid' or one that vaguely resembles a snake!

Sorry - I am completely ignorant on orchids and there is so much information on the net I've just got a bit lost!

Many thanks!!

1 - If you are talking about how to pollinate a Phalaenopsis orchid ..
This link will lead you to an explanation give by Matthew Gore of Gore Orchids - it's quite detailed ..
How to pollinate a Phalaenopsis - Slippertalk Orchid Forum- The best slipper orchid forum for paph, phrag and other lady slipper orchid discussion!
I am not sure how they pollinated orchids in 1955
but for starters, this should give you an idea of how it's done today.
Be patient for others to add their responses ..

On a side note, I thank you for searching out accurate details pertaining to orchids .. many times I have seen on TV people sniffing large hybrid Phalaenopsis which are known not to be scented .. or commericals showing something being 'orchid scented', again with orchids that produce no fragrance .. I know these are minor details but spreading inaccuracy and ignorance especially to the masses just rubs me the wrong way ...
I'll get back to you on the snake orchid

They might have mean Phalaenopsis for Thalaenopsis

Pterostylis (aka Greenhood) are the most 'snake-like' to me.

Here is a link to some photos of some: Hunter Valley Backyard Nature: #27 Winter orchids

And yes, I will second Dorothy's thanks - it is really wonderful to see someone trying to be 'realistic' and portray accurate details such as this.

(However, I am a Poirot fan... have the complete boxed set!)

The most snake like orchid I know of is Diplodium grandiflorum (syn Pterostylis grandiflora)
Click on these past threads -
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...greenhood.html
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...greenhood.html
It's not a phalaenopsis. It's an Australian terrestrial orchid.
I hope you aren't in a hurry .. there are many others here that can help you out

Nobody brushes pollen onto anything in orchids... Orchid pollen comes as (mostly) solid packages called pollinia. Normal process if your character was going to hybridize any orchid that you can actually see the flowers on:

1. Remove pollen mass from one orchid flower with a toothpick.

2. Carry toothpick over to another flower.

3. Mash pollen onto stigma of said flower.

Any of that would probably fail to be conveyed in anything but extreme closeup, which you aren't likely to do. But you'll impress your orchid growing audience if you show the character with a toothpick...

Now, there may be sighing - I routinely wonder what the heck I'm doing when I'm wandering around pollinating a dozen orchids. Mainly because I know at some point I'm going to have to flask all that seed.


Snake orchid? There is a small temperate terrestrial called rattlesnake orchid... Doesn't look like a snake though. I think the inflorescence on a Bulbophyllum maximum looks a bit like a snake (or any in that group of Bulbophyllum, I think they are classed megaclinium now?). I can't honestly think of any orchid I've seen (and I've seen a lot) that screamed 'snake'. You could easily rewrite the script to look at a butterfly orchid (Psychopsis papilio), which you can actually find and actually looks remarkably like a butterfly...

Personally I think you should include a stinky dead elephant orchid (Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis, or maybe Bulbophyllum echinolabium), it is a murder mystery, after all.

Shannan - High 5, girlfriend .. :coverlaugh:

Little Frog - The link I gave above goes through what you said pictorially
I agree with adding a stinky bulbo :rofl:

Here is a photo of Bulbophyllum (Megaclinium) maximum - http://www.orchidspecies.com/orphotdir/bulbmaximum.jpg

Thanks Dorothy - that site is a great help!

Looks like we need to find some 1950s toothpicks!

I did wonder if it was "sidenium phalaenopsis" but can't find any reference for this either?

Thanks everyone- huge help.

So basically if the character has a glass dish and a toothpick and goes from one to another this would be accurate...?

Apparently our actor, who is playing the character with the orchid obsession...has been doing a lot of research so I'm trying to make sure I'm as clued up if not more!!


PS:
Littlefrog - unfortunately the script revolves around snakes and various death by venom - I'm guessing this is the reason for the snake orchid...

Shakkai - The same crew also make Poirot - have just finished all those though!

Incidentally another orchid mentioned in the script is
"Teniophyllum Aphylorchis" - a "Himalayan Jewel Orchid," again - struggling to find anything on the net. I swear our script writers just make things up out of sheer amusement at watching the art department struggle...

I check out an extensive list of species Phalaenopsis and there is no sidenium that I found ...
I also check the Royal Horticulture Society registry that records the officially named hybrids of all orchids and found no record of sidenium as a grex or hybrid name ..

I hope we get that show in the states. I adored Nero Wolfe which is no longer on TV. I do own some tapes. His grouchiness had an orchid room. Love murder mysteries! Really appreciate your efforts to be accurate. Makes a show much more enjoyable!

Taeniophyllum aphyllum does exist and is an orchid
It is also known as Taeniophyllum glandulosum -
IOSPE PHOTOS
I am still checking to see if Aphylorchis exists ..

I found this on Aphyllorchic - it's actually another orchid genus - Aphyllorchis

So Taeniophyllum and Aphyllorchid are both orchid genuses. I haven't found anything to indicate that it is actually a single plant ..
Taeniophyllum is found from India, Sri Lanka, Japan, the Philippines to New Guinea, Australia, some Pacific Islands as far as Tahiti.
and Aphyllorchid is found Ceylon and India to SE Asia to New Guinea
As per the IOSPE - Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia

Neither of these are jewel orchids though, right?

So we can safely say that to a 'Taeniophyllum Aphyllorchis, otherwise known as a 'Himalayan
Jewel Orchid' is a load of rubbish...

Is there such a thing as a 'serpent orchid?' Or just several orchids that look like snakes...?

I will do my best to post photos of the set in return for all the help, we have bought over 300 orchids already so it should look pretty spectacular!

ooh ooh I think I have to tune it in if they show it here in the US.

There is something known as the 'serpent orchid' .. Paraphalaenopsis serpentilingua
I was looking for 'snake' before ..
I found this for you -
Paraphalaenopsis serpentilingua
and here - IOSPE PHOTOS

There is a group of orchid known as Jewel Orchids but Taeniophyllum Aphyllorchis isn't one .. like you said .. I believe it's rubbish ..

Brilliant - now we just have to find one!

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

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!

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

Paraphalaenopsis labukensis - Großräschener Orchideen

and delivery is pretty quick.

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

@ Dorothy - you are amazing.

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 :cheer:

:superwoman

Oh you guys :blushing:
All for the love of orchids ;)

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 :p 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 :p

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)
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...l-orchids.html

...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 :p

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

Many regards,

Heleen
xxx

Heleen - I had to edit the photos you posted and change them to links of the sites where you found them ..
We do not allow members to post other people's photographs .. only their own :)

aha, no problem, sorry 'bout that :-) was rather carried away for a moment there...

:photo: shall be more careful next time

Thank you :)

Thank you again everyone - especially Dorothy and 'shakkai,' your help has been invaluable!

Will do my best to keep you updated and try and get some pics. Afraid they won't be anything particularly exciting as I have to watch my step until the episode is actually shown but can definitely post some pics of the orchids! The episode is called 'Why didn't they ask Evans?' though...will probably be on in the UK sometime next year.

Thanks again...so much!!

I'd like to add my voice to the chorus of those who really appreciate how important this discussion is to all us orchid folks. Last night I saw a rerun of 'Law and Order SVU' in which the eventual perp was a diplomat who raised orchids in his appartment. He described them as "parasites that sucked the life out of their host", and was eventually caught when two small grains of pollen were found on his victims clothing. Whew! Thanks, Marple, for your efforts to avoid such a dastardly error!

Kim

I'm so glad we were able to help out! (And I'm so happy that the episode will have some 'authenticity' - I'm sure the viewer will appreciate it!) I'll certainly tell all of my orchid friends here to watch out for it. If you can let us know when it will be aired - whenever you find out - that would be great!!

I saw that one! LOL :crackup:

Marple - You are very welcome
I am happy to have been of service to you :bowing
Please be sure to drop in again with any updates .. I will be looking forward to them

Kim -
Were they referring to orchids as "parasites that sucked the life out of their host" ??? :shock:
If they were .. they surely don't know anything about orchids :nono:

Yup, Dorothy. And I don't think they meant the host of the party. Oh the horror!

Kim

P.S. Their plants looked like the plastic ones you used to see at Woolworths, or worse.

WOW, they could at least sprung for silk flowers .. Yeesh!
:coverlaugh: