(24 May 2002)
1. Wide shot and pan right of Mindo's mountain range
2. Medium shot and pan right of mountain
3. Medium of orchid on its habitat
4. Close up of the orchid (white one)
5. Hand holding miniature orchid then magnifying glass over it
6. Man inspecting flower
7. Medium of orchids (yellow ones)
8. Medium close up of orchid (purple one) then magnifying glass over it
9. Close up of orchids
10. Close up of orchid
11. Hands holding orchid
12. Orchid
13. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Giovanny Arteta, Scientist in Charge of Orchid's Reserve:
"The name orchid comes from the Greek word "orchis" which means testicles, this because of a comparison by Greek philosopher Teofrastro whom describes the flower as the one with two balls at the base similar to the testicles of a dog."
14. Close up of orchid
15. Extreme close up of orchid with magnifying glass
16. Medium of orchids on tree trunk
17. Miniature orchids on leafs
18. Orchid
19. Student walking into field research centre
20. Hands holding, inspecting orchid
21. Various students around orchids
22. Students walking through centre
23. Close up of orchid
24. Hands holding and inspecting orchid
25. Five shots of orchids
26. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Alexandria Roth, Student and tourist:
"I personally think the most beautiful one is the one called Golden Rain, or also called the Bride. It looks like a bride, with her flower bouquet, its dress; when you look at the flower you can actually see all of those details, as a human being."
27. Student looking at flower
28. Flower through magnifying glass
29. Two shots of Mindo area
STORYLINE:
Of the almost 4-thousand species of orchids found in Ecuador, 376 are found in the province of Mindo.
Ecuadorean and international scientists have set up a centre to study these flowers.
At this floral reservation one can find some 200 species making this place a centre of attraction for all those who want to study orchids, or simply, want to come and watch them.
All orchids have the same bilaterally symmetrical flower structure, with three sepals, but the flowers vary greatly in colour and shape.
One of the petals, called the lip, is often distinct in shape and colour from the other petals. The lip usually is the lowest part of the flower, although it is the uppermost part in the developing bud, which turns around its axis as it grows in a process termed resupination. A club-shaped structure in the centre of the flower, known as the column, results from the fusion of male and female reproductive parts.
These flowers are extremely rare and need special habitats with very specialised elements for the reproduction of these exotic flowers. Orchids literally come in all shapes, sizes and colours. Some are as small as 2 milimetres requiring magnifying glasses to see detail. Other reflect shapes like shoes, or animal faces, like the monkey.
Experts say the shapes are almost incalculable to count. These flowers are borne singly or in erect or pendent clusters. They range in sizes from about 2 millimeters (about 0.1 inch) to 38 centimetres (15 inches) in diametre.
The word orchid is derived from the Greek word (orchis) for testicle because of the shape of the root tubers in some species of the genus Orchis. Orchids are found throughout most of the nonpolar world and are especially abundant in tropical regions.
These nonwoody perennial plants grow in soil or on other plants. Those attached to other plants often are vinelike and have a spongy root covering called the velamen that absorbs water from the surrounding air.
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