Makarimi Abdullah
Cerita berkenaan bunga kebangsaan di teruskan. Kali ini bunga kebangsaan bagi negara Kepulauan Cayman. Secara ringkas berkenaan negara ini, ianya terletak di kepulauan Caribbean, yang mana secara tepatnya, ia berada di Zon Barat Caribbean iaitu Selatan Cuba dan Barat Laut Jamaica. Negara ini terdiri dari tiga Pulau yang utama iaitu, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac dan Little Cayman.
Negara ini adalah di bawah naungan Jajahan Pesisir British dan tergolong dalam negara-negara Komenwel, sama seperti Malaysia, cuma Malaysia bukan jajahan pesirsiipantai negara British. Satu perkara yang unik, ibu negara bagi negara ini adalah George Town, yang mana di Malaysia nama bandar itu adalah ibu negeri bagi Pulau Pinang - tempat OdD diami. Maklumat lanjut bagi negara ini boleh klik di sini.

Negara ini mempunyai banyak bunga-bungaan yang aslinya (native) dari negara ini, termasuk 26 jenis orkid. Antara yang mudah di kenali dan terkenal serta satu-satunya yang berasal dari negara ini dan unik bagi seluruh kepulauan Caribbean. Yang di maksudkan adalah 'The Wild Banana Orchid' atau nama saintifiknya adalah Mymercophilia thomsoniana. Orkid ini terdapat dalam dua variant, iaitu Mymercophilia thomsoniana var. thomsoniana, yang asalnya dari Grand Cayman dan Myrmecophilia thomsoniaia var. minor yang asalnya dari Cayman Brac dan Little Cayman. Di negara ini, orkid ini mudah di lihat di sepanjang persisiran pantainya,  terutamanya selepas hujan di musim bunga, yang mana ia menjadi pokok yang menumpang di dahan-dahan pokok dan di rumah kediaman. Ini menunjukkan ia begitu popular dikalangan penduduk di dsana malah begitu popular bagi pengumpul/ peminat orkid liar.
Cerita lanjut berkenaan negara ini boleh di klik di sini .
OdD juga mempunyai pokok orkid ini, yang mana baru diperolehi semasa Jalan-jalan ke Pameran Agro di Hatyai.



The National flower story continues, by alphabet letter , Cayman Islands is the  next. The short brief  about Cayman Islands. This country is located at Western Caribbean Zone, which is specifically located at south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica. This country is a British Overseas Territory and one of the member in Commonwealth Country, same as my country Malaysia. This country consist of three island, which are the Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. One of the special and coincidentally is their  National Capital city, George Town, my capital state city also George Town! More information about this country you can click here.   

This country boast a number of spectacular native flowers, including 26 different varieties of orchids. Probably the best known and certainly one of the most unique among the Caribbean orchids. The most easily identifiable is the Wild Banana Orchid (Myrmecophila thomsoniana, which is adopted as National flower to this country.
The Wild Banana Orchid is an endemic species to this country, it is found only in the Cayman Islands. It comes in two varieties: Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. thomsoniana which originated on Grand Cayman, and Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. minor which came from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. It is easyly can found through areas of woodland after the spring rains. Indeed, it has proved popular with many gardeners on the island and among the orchid collectors. 
I also have this orchid in my collection, but I not so sure which variant. I just got it last August at Hatyai, during Agricultural Exhibition.
More information about Cayman Islands click here.
Myrmecophilia thomsoniana plant @ OdD

The Japanese say, If the flower is to be beautiful, it must be cultivated. ~ Lester Cole

5 Responses
  1. Malar Says:

    Very interesting place and a lovely Orchid!
    You're the pure Orchid lover !;)


  2. Very pretty blooms and that last photo is very interesting how that is growing.
    Cher Sunray Gardens


  3. Nic Says:

    Very pretty; I had never seen this species or even heard of it before.


  4. Orkid La Says:

    Cun laa... mana leh dapat ni Sifu?


  5. Malar> Thanks for the compliment ;)
    Cher> The last one is my plant at my garden, I still need to wait another 1 or 2 years before she blooms.
    College Gardener> Thanks for visiting me. Orchid have thousands of species. This species is so special, because it native only at this country.
    Shaifuls> Thanks. Nak dapat kena datang kat OdD ler ;)