06 April 2022

Esmeralda cathcartii

I am participating in the April AtoZ Blogging challenge and my theme is Plants featured on Indian Stamps. This is my eight attempt at the AtoZ and the focus is on plants. 

My theme is inspired by an online talk by Daniel L Nikrent - of Cornell University, USA held by Maharashtra Vriksha Samvardhini about Parasitic Flowering Plants featured on Stamps

I am not a stamp collector nor a fan of stamps. Hence almost all my posts are purely based on research on the internet. I have tried to cross check the info before posting here. Please do share correct info and links to the same in case of discrepancy. 

India Post has a very strong network reaching deep deep into the interiors of the country and I depended on it for news from home when we were posted in far away places.  In this age of smartphones, Internet, how many of us really write letters - snail mail as they are now called? Despite this , I find that new stamps are being issued and we have stamps on diverse topics including Armed Forces, Films, Personalities, Wildlife, Handlooms, Handicrafts and so on.. It is amazing!

Esmeralda cathcartii is a beautiful orchid that grows in East Himalayas and Assam among other places. Belonging to the Orchidaceae family, it grows at a height of 600-2000m. Its inflorescence has 3-6 long lasting flowers that are very fragrant. The plant is an epiphyte. 


Post of India, GODL-India <https://data.gov.in/sites/default/files/Gazette_Notification_OGDL.pdf>, via Wikimedia Commons

The stamp was issued in 2016 for a denomination of 5 INR. It is part of a set of 6 commemorative postage stamps on Orchids.

Other 'E' plants that have been featured on India Post stamps are Emblica officinalis (Amla) in 2003, Echinops niveus (Snow White Globe Thistle) in 2013, Erythrina variegata (Indian Coral  Tree) in 1993.

The India Postage Stamps website  has a complete catalogue of stamps. Please click the link to see many many wonderful stamps.

Colnect is a comprehensive portal for Stamp collectors. It gives detailed information about every listed stamp.  Click here for detailed info about Stamps - what is a stamp, types, formats, water marks, perforations and much more.

Do visit tomorrow for some more beautiful plants on stamps. 

Till then, Take Care and Stay Happy! 


4 comments:

Afshan Shaik said...

Never heard of that plant. I don't recollect seeing too. Ur theme is so unique :) good day

Archana said...

@Afshan Thank you! 🙏🏻

Arlee Bird said...

Beautiful orchid! You are making me realize that India has been a neglected country in my collection. Back when I was more actively collecting I never ran across many stamps from India and the older ones I remember were not that pretty to look at. I guess 10's of thousands of stamps have been printed in India since those times when I was buying foreign stamps.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Archana said...

Hehe! Yes I found amazing stamps listed on the website. Creative designs and fine detailed I hope you donadd some of our stamps to your collection. Thanks for your encouragement on my AtoZ topic and posts!.🙏🏻