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Thursday January 26, 2006

Singapore names orchid after the King

SINGAPORE: A fast-growing terrestrial hybrid orchid from the Spathoglottis species was named “Spathoglottis Syed Sirajuddin” in conjunction with the visit by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail to Singapore’s National Orchid Garden.

At the orchid naming ceremony yesterday, the King was presented with three types of orchids, with yellow, red and peach white flowers respectively.

After being briefed of the characteristics of the three flowers, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin inspected each of them, the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid by his side.

MARINE MARVEL: The King’s granddaughter, Sharifah Khatreena Nuraniah Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra, taking a closer look at a Giant Japanese Spider Crab which was on display at Underwater World on Sentosa Island in Singapore on Monday. — Bernamapic
The Raja Permaisuri Agong’s eyes lit up upon seeing the flower of the first orchid, a bright golden yellow, and she smiled as the King took a small aluminium tag containing the name of the chosen flower and planted it beside the orchid in the vase.

With the “Spathoglottis Syed Sirajuddin”, the National Orchid Garden added another to its collection of orchids named after state visitors and VIPs.

There were more than 100 orchid hybrids named after VIPs, including one “Paravanda Nelson Mandela” after the South African civil rights leader Nelson Mandela.

The King is on a three-day visit to the republic from Monday. – Bernama

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