Monday, August 23, 2010

Pretty picture: Masdevallia ignea x constricta


The actual petals and other important parts of Masdevallias are stuck way down in the center of the plant, and are tiny. The sepals, which have become fused together, are the brightly-colored bits with the long "tails."

I think most of the Masdevallias I've seen are less pretty than just odd. I like odd, usually, so that's not really a problem. And the first one I posted about, Masdevallia Prince Charming, I actually think is kind of pretty, too. Everything breaks down with M. ignea x constricta, though, as my brain insists that it's creepy and off-putting. The odd shape, combined with the large numbers of flowers in these pictures, somehow add up to "alien invasion" in my head.


Also the color, let's face it, is not the most appealing.

Maybe if they were edible, and tasted like cheese, it would work for me.

Though I'm not a big fan of cheese either, actually, so maybe not. I don't know.

Masdevallia is another genus I will probably never grow, though I have more hope for Masdevallia than for Miltoniopsis; Masdevallia might be okay in our basement. It's humid and cool, and there are fluorescent lights all over the place, so if I managed to water often enough, I might be able to keep a Masdevallia happy. Not, like, an alien cheese invader Masdevallia, but with some other, more pleasingly-colored hybrid.


5 comments:

Liza said...

Well, I love cheese. Remember on Schoolhouse Rock? "I hanker for a hunka, a slab, a slice, a chunka, I hanker for a hunka cheeeeeese!"

Anyway.

Nancy in Sun Lakes AZ said...

Cheese is NOT my thing ... and neither are masdevallia ...

Kimberly said...

I'm digging these flowers...I think they look so exotic, strange and unique!
BTW...I remember the school house rock song.

mr_subjunctive said...

Liza / Kimberly:

I remember the Schoolhouse Rock thing too. I was always bothered by it, though, because I couldn't figure out what he was supposed to be. Like an egg with legs and a tall skinny hat, or something.

At the time, I liked cheese. I grew out of it somewhere around junior high (though exceptions are made for mozzarella in certain forms). I don't know what happened.

Kate-daisygirl_io said...

Wow - what unusual flowers! they remind me of a flower that would be in a disney movie, like Alice in Wonderland (the cartoon, of course). I love it though when plants and flowers take on a personality of their own without even knowing it. ;)