Giant Orchid in Bloom

Walking along San Marga, one encounters many living creatures, not the least of which is this Grammatophyllum orchid, a baby that will grow to be a giant in the decades ahead. It has an interesting rooting habit, grabbing onto the tree's trunk and forming a nest of white, upward thrusting roots which trap the debris from the tree and feed on it. They do not like to live on the ground.

Each spike has some 120-250 flowers on it

This is the root system, growing not down but upward.

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