Orchis Xspuria

@Shelle: Thanks for the compliment and I'm glad you like the image. I study European terrestial orchids for some years now, and every time I discover some new amazing things about them ... It's a wonderfull world we live in .

@Olivier: Indeed, Olivier. I found about 20 of those natural hybrids within the population. Every plant is differently coloured and has more or less from both parents. It is like childeren: you can recognize both parents, but every child is unique.

@dang: These hybrids are the result of a "mistake" made by the pollinator. In most of the plant-world hybrids are sterile, but in Orchids, many times these natural hybrids are fertile. This can result in re-hybridisation with the parents. In this way whole hybrid-swarms can be formed and both parents disappear in their pure form. Identification is becoming very hard in these swarms. It is one of the ways new Orchid-species are formed. This proces is going on every-day ... Darwin anno 2010. It is wonderfull to be a withness of that proces. Maybe this hybrid will be a stable species within a few hundred years ....

@Céline: They indeed have some characteristics of both parents. The " little dolls " can be clearly seen here. During the weekend I found about 50 of these. All different. Even the colouring... some have yellow legs, others deep purple... It's natures magic ...

@KriKridesign: They indeed do ! But very, very small ... Individual flowers are less than 1 cm. A close look to them reveals their full beauty ... and I hope I can give others that feeling with my maco-work on these .
Thanks for your visit again, and I hope everything going well out there ?

@Ralph: Het is dan ook de natuurlijke kruising tussen de "Poppenorchis" en het "Soldaatje". De Nederlandse namen zijn heel erg goed gekozen lijkt me :-)

@"Dutch": I have not much time giving comments myself... too busy traveling the country searching Orchids :-) The season has fully started now and lasts only two month.... Some species can only be found during 1 or 2 weeks - so I have to be at the right place at the right time :-). Long days, but when I can return home with images like this one, I am fully satisfied ... I drove about 1000 km last week (only on free days as I have to work also... - yes I'm just crazy ! ) but found some really nice species... I will show them during next weeks I suppose ...

@MMC Photos: Thanks for the compliment.
The pollen of this species can't be seen in this picture - they are hidden underneath the "hats". I think what you are referring to are just the reflections of the sun in the individual plant-cells ... Individual flowers are less than 1 cm in lenght... This is a real macro - so don't be mislead by the magnification here ! Especially on the edges of the flowers you can easily see the individual plant-cells as little red dots... in the middle of the flower, they are less coloured and so the sun reflects more easily.

@Dutch: I think you don't need to have that specific subject. Your best quality in making pictures (My personal opinion): your wonderfull sense of detail and your way of viewing "normal" things around. By seeing many of your images I have the feeling: "my God, wish I had made this one ..." so I consider them as a source of inspiration without trying to copy ... I learned so much already from your images and comments and maybe you can recognise some aspects in my latest pictures, although probably it is impossible to name it ...
In one of your latest comments you said "Johan-image" - you certainly have the "Kristen-image"-way and I realy like that style !

@Joke: In Vlaanderen alleen komen ongeveer 1400 soorten wilde planten voor ... Een heel aantal zijn algemeen, de Orchideeënsoorten die ik hier de laatste tijd post, zijn stuk voor stuk grote zeldzaamheden met soms maar enkele exemplaren resterend. Ze staan allemaal op de "Rode lijst" - sterk bedreigd dus, en zijn door de wet beschermd. Hopelijk blijven ze nog een hele tijd bestaan in België, want inderdaad zijn de kleuren en vormen vaak onvoorstelbaar mooi.

@daniela scharnowski: :-)))))))

@Dutch: It is a good sign you are evolving, and also to be critical on your own work. I know the feeling trying to make it perfect and never being satisfied anymore... I When I look at my pictures I made lets say 3 years ago, I see that I have evolved in many aspects ... I put my standards higher and higher, but there is an end on that. What is now an "okay"-shot would have been magnifect 3 years ago ... I learn to be satisfied with a technical good and descent "okay"-shot now ... If every picture is a TOP-shot, there would not be any TOP-shots anymore .... ;-)

I do not like every song on an album of a musician. I even do not like every album of that musician ... There are some masterpeaces, there is some good or 'okay' work and there are songs I just don't like. There is nothing wrong with that I think. I'm a pro musician myself - I always try to give the best of myself in performing at that moment - but I know - the same piece will sound different next year - thats no reason not to play this year ..

Your work is high-level photo-work. I'm sure not everyone will like the style... (I DO !!) Looking at your portfolio I really can see evolution... and i'm wondering what i'm gona see tomorrow, next week, next month and next year(s).

As for the orchid book ... When I got some TOP-pictures i'll consider it :-pppppppppp

@Dutch: There is a time for everything ... :-)))
For now, I'm still enjoying making pictures and trying to understand nature... It just keeps me going .
Thx for all extensive comments.