Phragmipedium Longifolium

2023

Watercolor on cotton paper, 30,5 X 40cm

ABOUT THIS PIECE:

Painted in 2023 during a three month multi-part residency in Costa Rica, this piece is part of a series of illustrations that explore the intricate architecture of orchids.

Phragmipedium Longifolium is a wild orchid native to Central America. This type of slipper orchid holds a peculiar relationship to its pollinators, inviting hoverflies to crawl inside and then squeeze themselves out beneath the stigma carrying the flower's pollen captured in the insect's tiny hairs.