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Singapore names orchid with Hawaii roots after Obamas

Craig Gima
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SINGAPORE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION This photo shows the Dendrobium Barack and Michelle Obama orchid, a gift from Singapore to the president and his wife.

An orchid with Hawaii and Singapore roots named after President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, was given to the first couple as a gift during Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s state dinner at the White House this week.

Lee said the Dendrobium Barack and Michelle Obama orchid marks the 50th anniversary of U.S-Singapore relations as “a fitting tribute to America’s first Pacific President and a beautiful symbol of the flourishing ties between our countries.”

“This is a hybrid of breeds native to Singapore and Hawaii, where the president was born,” Lee said, “… most of us believe,” he joked to laughter in the audience.

The orchid, created at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, is a hybrid of the Hawaii Dendrobium Pink Lips and the Dendrobium Sunpack Park from Singapore.

The Singapore National Parks Board describes it as “a vigorous and free flowering antelope” with “upright to semi-arching flowering sprays, with each bearing about 15 attractive blooms.”

“The sepals are basally creamy white and yellow apically, while the pair of twisted petals is yellowish brown towards the tips. Each bloom is complemented by a large prominent reddish-mauve lip adorned with a darker tone and tessellations in the centre.”

7 responses to “Singapore names orchid with Hawaii roots after Obamas”

  1. palani says:

    Isn’t that already known as Amorphophallus titanum?

    • sarge22 says:

      They should have named the pot after them.

      • MillionMonkeys says:

        “This is a hybrid of breeds native to Singapore and Hawaii, where the president was born,” Lee said, “… most of us believe,” he joked to laughter in the audience.

        Good reminder of that completely unfounded, crackpot theory your man Trump clung on to for years. Maybe he should run for POTUSC (President of the United States of Crackpot). Good idea???

  2. BigErn says:

    How about the Obama Wastewater Treatment Plant? It has a nice ring to it and it fits.

  3. 64hoo says:

    come on SA you call this a top story, some dumb plant named after the obamas, it should be in the entertainment section I know a lot other things that should be named after the obamas, but it would read comment under review so no use writing it.

  4. lespark says:

    Not one peep about the $400,000,000?
    Michelle said she’d rather have the cash.

    • 64hoo says:

      that’s because they can break the law and get away with it, that’s why they paid the 400 million in Swiss money and gold, which in some form is money laundering, if you have over 10,00 dollars when travelling you would be charged with money laundering and be arrested. there above the law so they can get away with it.

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