scale bar = 1cm.

Orchid help

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lily

Is it an orchid?

An orchid has 6 "petals", made up of three true petals and 3 sepals. The male and female parts are combined into a column. Sun-orchids are unusual orchids in that the three petals and three sepals are similar in size, colour and shape.

A lily also has three petals and thee petal-like sepals. The ovary and stigma (the female parts) are separate from the anthers and filaments. Sometimes (as in Early Nancy), the flower may be either female or male.

Photo 1: Rabbit-ear Orchid with the central column. 2: Milkmaids with the central ovary and the separate filaments with anthers. Lilies also differ from orchids in that the ovary is above the petals. The ovary in orchids is below the petals.

The sepals are below the petals.

The orchid flower

Except for sun orchids, one of the petals is greatly modified in shape, colour and size, forming a lip (or labellum). The lip is often adorned with lobes, appendages, pimples or glands, and may be brightly coloured. In greenhood orchids, one of the sepals is modified into a hood. ghgh gh

L: Greenhood. In this species the lip is bearded. In some greenhoods, the two sepals are held erect.
M: Waxlip Orchid
R: Caladenia.