Dracula Chimera

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Dracula chimaera (lat. Dracula chimaera) - a typical species of orchids from the genus Dracula (Latin Dracula) of the Orchid family (Latin Orchidaceae). This species of the genus Dracula was described as the first of all species of the genus. Its bright spotted color made the botanist associate with a monster from Greek myths named "Chimera". The unique structure of the epiphyte flower distinguishes plants of the Dracula genus not only among other terrestrial plants, but even among plants of the Orchid family. The uniqueness of the flowers is given by picturesque sepals with long tentacles and a fleecy surface, as well as two dark dots at the base of the column, similar to the eyes of a living creature. It seems to the observer that these flower eyes are staring at him, ready at the moment of danger to give the command to the flower to flee.

What's in your name

"Dracula Chimera" has managed to combine two unique animals in its name.

First, the little dragon, because this is exactly the meaning of the Latin word "Dracula" in Russian, which, however, has become a feminine word.

Secondly, a monster-transformer from Greek myths, which borrowed a neck and a head from a formidable lion, a body from an obstinate goat, a tail from a poisonous snake. This combination of body parts of the animal thrilled not only mortal people, but also immortal gods. Although his name "Chimera" in translation from the ancient Greek language sounds quite harmless - "young goat". The unusual set of components of the Chimera's body gave a figurative meaning to the word "chimera" in the speech of people. They began to call unrealistic ideas, unreasonable by common sense, unrealizable.

In the photos below, the appearance of the Dracula Chimera flower is very similar to one of the images of the mythical beast called "Chimera". Since the beast is fiction, each artist depicts it as the imagination and fantasy of the artist draws the beast. Therefore, there are Chimeras that may not be in tune with the flower.

The botanist who described this species

The championship in the description of "Dracula Chimera" belongs to a great connoisseur of orchids, a German botanist named Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach, who lived from 1823 to 1889. True, his contemporaries accused Reichenbach of carelessly describing orchids, which later led to some confusion in the taxonomy of plants of the Orchid family. But, as for the primacy, this fact is not disputed by anyone.

Moreover, we are talking about Reichenbach Jr., that is, about the son of a famous botanist named Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach. In order not to confuse the works of father and son, the letter “f” or “fil.”, The abbreviated Latin word “filius” (“son”), is added to the abbreviation of the younger.

Description

Dracula chimera is a medium-sized orchid with an epiphytic or lithophytic lifestyle. That is, its aerial roots are located either on tree branches, hiding in the shade of the crown, or spread out on the stones of the mountain slopes.

From the roots, straight leaves of an inverse lanceolate shape are born, located close to each other and having a pod-like shell at the base. One leaf emerges from each such shell.

Since flower-stalks appear from the base of the plant, when growing Dracula chimera as a houseplant, the capacity should be such that its walls do not interfere with the birth of flowers. Flowering begins in late autumn and pleases fans all winter.

The most picturesque part of the flower hanging down is the three variegated sepals ending in long and narrow tendrils. All together they form a living bowl, in which the corolla of a flower with a lip that stands out in its whiteness is located. Sepals are covered with a rather thick fleecy "coat", which complements the resemblance of a flower to a goat. The two dark dots at the base of the column look like the eyes of an animal looking sadly at the world around it.

Dracula Chimera lives in the rainforests of Colombia, climbing to a height of up to three thousand meters above sea level, or in greenhouses and living quarters around the globe.