Japanese Archival Note Card, Coelogyne Dayana Var. Grandifola by Ikeda Zuigetsu: Ranka-Fu Orchid Series

A column of small brown-orange blooms spills down a taupe field.

This archival note card of the orchid Coelogyne Dayana var. Grandifolia from the Ranka-Fu orchid series is from Japan. Orchid portraits of this kind belong to a long tradition of botanical illustration, in which growers and artists recorded named hybrids and varieties by their flowers. A long hanging spray of tiny speckled amber flowers drops along the left side, a second shorter spray below it, and narrow green leaves arch in from the top right. The ground is warm grey and cream. It is 5 inches long and 7 high.

Plenty of blooms, hung up in good order.