Orchids at Wisley 2016

Rossioglossum grande.  RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

While I was at Wisley RHS gardens looking at the exotic butterflies with my friend, I took some photos of orchids.  These are in a small area next to the hot section of the glasshouse, and are always worth a look.

Phragmipedium besseae.  RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Some of them are typical examples of what people think of as orchids, others less so.  All of them are showy, usually a lot more so than our native species.

Paphiopedilum x leeanum.  RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

Luckily, they are all labelled with their names.  Many are species, but also, many are hybrids, often artificially bred in a hothouse environment.

Zygopetalum Warringa Wonder gx.  RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

The "gx" in the name is short for grex, a word which is used to indicate that the orchid in question is such a horticultural hybrid.  This one was particularly impressive, and I took the photo against the light, which streamed through and illuminated those mauve-striped white petals.  (Pity the background is a bit fussy.)

I also noticed, scattered through the hothouses, many different Streptocarpus and other Gesneriads.  This one was intriguing.

Unidentified Gesneriad.  RHS Wisley, 26 January 2016.

It has little succulent leaves in rosettes.  It wasn't labelled, but the flower is a family Gesneriaceae flower type.  It was in a crack between stones in the side wall, not far from some actual Streptocarpus.  I'd like to grow one if I could identify it!