Wow you knew exactly what it was. You must have been quite a florist!
Orchids were my love for about 10 years of my life and a major part of my education.
Being me, I had to know every single thing ever written about them, which also led to many other topics and learning experiences.
One of the Miltonia’s is marked in such a manner that it looks like the markings on a Big female Bumble Bee in the jungle, it is pollinated, when the male bee rapes it and the pollen sticks to his back, to be deposited on the next flower.
Darwin did a lot of study on the pollinating of orchids in the jungle, one orchid has a tube under the lip, and the nectar is at the end of the tube.
Darwin predicted that a moth would be found with a tongue long enough to reach the nectar, and it was, the tongue was 14 inches long.
While the moth drank, the pollen attached itself to his body and he took it to the next orchid.
Orchids were my first writing experience, both on the shows that i worked on and then my own scripts for tv and radio on the history of orchids, to promote our shows, that were known world wide.
San Diego in the 1950/60’s had shows, that were a jungle theme, with floating gondolas and 2 story water falls and the creme of the orchid world, with exhibitors from all over the world.
The last that I went to about 20 years ago, were a few tired orchids, on table tops.
Yep, I am a snob, worked hard and earned the right to be one.
When I started in orchids, it was with a 9th grade education, so you know how much I have needed to learn.
I quit school 3 weeks into the 10th grade, went to work in a cafe and got married.
My sister insists that my Indian name is “Seeker of Knowledge”.
She is younger and I helped her get through school, only one brother has the burning desire to learn, LOL, the other is a teacher.