Orchids are easily distinguished from other plants, as they share some very evident apomorphies. Among these are: bilateral symmetry (zygomorphism), many resupinate flowers, a nearly always highly modified petal (labellum), fused stamens and carpels, and extremely small seeds.
All orchids are perennial herbs, lack any permanent woody structure, and can grow in monopodial and sympodial patterns.
The world's richest concentration of orchid varieties is found in the tropics, mostly Asia, South America and Central America.
To dedicated the beauty of orchids, Czech Post pleased to launch a set of four stamps which composed in one beautiful miniature sheet.
The species depicted on stamps are Dendrobium peguanum, Stanhopea tigrina, Cattleya aclandiae and Paphiopedilum charlesworthii.
Dendrobium peguanum
Dendrobium peguanum is a species of genus Dendrobium. Plant blooms in the late fall with three to seven 1.25 cm wide flowers. Flowers are fragrant.Plant is found growing on shrubs near streams in eastern Himalayas, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Myanamar and Thailand at elevations of 300 to 400 meters.
Stanhopea tigrina
Stanhopea tigrina is an epiphytic orchid, with upright, oblong leaves (35 cm long and 10 cm wide), each arising from single pseudobulb, which form tight clusters. The large flowers are scented and produced in groups of 2–4 in a pendulous inflorescence up to 15 cm long. Individual flowers have yellow petals and sepals and are heavily spotted and streaked purplish-brown. Stanhopea tigrina was first described in 1837 by James Bateman.
Tiger-spotted stanhopea has large showy scented flowers, with distinctive purplish-brown streaks and stripes on a yellowish background, each of which last only two to three days. As these occur on pendulous stems, the plant needs to be grown in a hanging basket to mimic its natural growth. Propagation is by seed or division.
Cattleya aclandiae
Cattleya aclandiae is compact and only grows 7-12 cm tall. The upright, short, cylindrical pseudobulbs have two fleshy leaves at the apex. Sometimes, purple blotches are found on the leaves when the plants are exposed to intense sunlight. Each growth produces between one and three 2.5 inches to 4 inches and the flowers are large for the size of the plant. Flowers are substantial, waxy, and long-lived. Flower color is white or near-white with purple blotches and spots. The lip has a dark purple blotch and the anther cap is yellow. Flowers bloom in the spring and summer on new growths.
Cattleya aclandiae ("Lady Ackland's Cattleya") is a species of orchid from the genus Cattleya, named in honor of Sir Thomas Ackland who was the first European to grow the plant successfully. Its native habitat is seasonally dry forests between 100 and 400 meters in elevation near permanent bodies of water.
Paphiopedilum charlesworthii
Restricted in distribution to the Shan States of northern Burma (Myanmar) and adjacent bordering areas of Thailand and Yunnan, China. Grows in humus and vegetative debris on limestone rock.
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