I spotted this orchid in Kavadi Kere and research led me to the name Orchid Pholidota Imbricata. I collected two bulbs of this orchid from the aracanut/betel nut garden maintained by the temple. As I had seen the pictures of the bloom, I waited impatiently for the plant to bloom so that I could take pictures and write about it.
Picture – Pholidota Imbricata in the wild
I was rewarded with a spike of this Orchid this May (2010) also known as Necklace orchid and Rattlesnake orchid.
Plant Summary:
Pholidota Imbricata is an epiphyte found from sea levels 1600m and above in thick forests with some sun rays falling on it for some time during the day.
The common names are derived for the fact that the spike of bud look exactly like the tail of a rattle snake and when in bloom looks like a pearl necklace. Around 50 small fragrant flowers spiral around the inflorescence.
The length of the inflorescence in suitable conditions can be up to 30 cm coming out of a developing pseudo bulb. The size of each flower will be 1.25 cm, but the flowers in my garden were very small around 0.5 cm.
The lip of the flower had a dash of Orange, which added to the beauty.
The clustered pseudo-bulbs are sunken, conical, and wrinkled. Each of these bulbs has a single leaf coming out of it, which is ovate-oblong, dark green, which has prominent veins.
Water plants every day; ensure that the water is drained out completely. Apply a fertilizer once in thirty days.
