![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArgMRb0Wg_nNNtIyZuML6fROBA5Gw_SQYmJCaq2xFr55NMFHIVJZGE_FJB__qo8hUuO4bpv7QKtJE_M6z8v5RIgodVaSpEacQjRV-QwIXXzFQaadDZSZXRiHkQOjAu-pruwjmucquB1M/s1600/pollination+8-16-11d+copy.jpg) |
Pollinating Phalaenopsis violacea |
You may already be familiar with this cast of characters, but do you recognize them five months into gestation?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPLoZ1Hm5T1WvfhjXEsULjhyphenhyphen0OP5nEqLn-cUuf39Mwd9oSCW9rxUtInkp79ZebvfpuISaD2ciC2jMw24agxKXw6B98qZLUHcneFrlbEPBmWoccabGgaPiq8BjdGESjsD-f40f-Sm_FGw/s1600/Sep+12+2011+005+copy.jpg) |
and five months later |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89bPweTN_CCy2Qh6cLL9k1bISeFMQpXiSsVQN3-BzQEIJszLLLfZCXvFyVZ7m-N_PRjtaf_bs54xb05opGXOFG2aXBXwIz4dtSuXu3eWqcoRrx55WD_BudpWBq10KIvtvp3hGg53cV-A/s1600/Sep+16+2011+013+copy.jpg) |
Pescatorea lehmannii |
An orchid fruit or "pod" is more correctly called a capsule.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpFmcJJ-ZqIdWIm_D4mFcR6Uy_UKy6_8PmyiliJKgOg9sJo6J6H9B1CMgGurKtlCCeufy9hdKaB9fH09xCqSQ97YWEEHQgKpc5i4qJhq8TKIhXTTfPT6cRwpec7xrvYhyOwEuWXmQuUc/s1600/Sep+12+2011+004+copy.jpg) |
Promenaea rollisoni |
Notice the remains of the flower at the far end of the capsule.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCnYSCx6RIysaCn5M5vgv15aO3fUSjWgGy4IYpFjX68lEXuI3NbA1eG9NDtxD3dk2h5RTk1Hhhz8tPyxmFg7OP5F-gh76jdj2c7OroHje0kVLEKa0-ErfncS48cT1ogPUZZ-r1LjEFPg/s1600/Sep+12+2011+009+copy.jpg) |
Phalaenopsis violacea, Sumatran form |
The information relevant to each cross is recorded in three locations: on a vinyl label, on a paper form and on an Excel spreadsheet accessible on our computer network.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-uwDz3Sgjsy_3z5zA4ZGIlreukOX6-1fGcFMSgapztfKFYnPzDcSZkyeEVRSxi38h6ba63jLBnPJuAm7t_9u_ej9lqbJeJ5i5Pa593hgt82gg5PmOMmBvN2SBIsFFcVvx3LKS3FPzqk/s1600/Sep+26+2011+017+copy.jpg) |
Laelia purpurata |
A piece of pink flagging tape helps us find the capsule among all the plants in our greenhouses.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g98nrb331yJpnhR6kHA3gQU4PGO5ClDymw7Nkt7GppqIfWmW4dDzmInNAFdj_VZ_JLFpjAjoSSr0zU8HjIlat7Qtdu1kcCqEbyMqC1BOYfCk_YEUufpTKDmiQ_00vj0KrT-zSQPkKXo/s1600/Sep+16+2011+081+copy.jpg) |
Bollea coelestis |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRgpYVXOEmdxB-tPyXPG41JZklqEz_mE3df-aGxgB2DhB31uuDdxJIYWP69T1LZziEaFN3iaAVopCxCUwaLrWRx4odOGQ2iU1GJhD5stJZM0H53VgBoyRHkdS2Q_Jz6UD0eDQg2Y-Dd4/s1600/Sep+26+2011+013+copy.jpg) |
Dendrobium dearei |
Compare the size of the swollen ovary of the pollinated flower to that of the adjacent flower.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxkY3XCM-hXExM5bN4mgiWPbY0Lx0_uTdePn0_iLUi1ubGgWEBr72CYvkjJSQdc2NLxPe2MeRBGVDU0A0VBO2kLvPMjIAtpIIq1VJuyDY4av80xJgfTn4BsUSEln8LmtO1OSQiyWOKg8/s1600/Sep+26+2011+011+copy.jpg) |
Dendrobium uniflorum |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQuNLJ8Sk3o-z_KYe9NuBKIA2YGnPCxQjoNY1jvjccvw_S2CLlDL7UMTdxpGHnp7xXdZyeIczXzld102yfX5om46UDDhI2IRO3YpJZ2QRMqCQ8CVnTv0fpRsbnBub-2dgKNCNbIMqcns/s1600/Sep+16+2011+079+copy.jpg) |
Pleurothallis titan with open capsule |
An orchid capsule can take anywhere from one to six months or more to ripen. We look forward to seeing these orchids in our lab!