MaltaPost has issued a stamp set depicting Maltese Flora. This includes three stamps each bearing a face value of €0.26, €0.42 and €1.25 and respectively depict the Fan-Lipped Orchid (Maltese: Orikida Hamra), the Yellow Bee-Orchid (Maltese: Zunzana) and the Small Flowered Tongue-Orchid (Maltese: Orikida tal-Ilsien iz-Zghir) which are species found in the Maltese Islands. Photographer Guido Bonett captured the flowers featured on the stamps.
The Fan-Lipped Orchid grows in garrigue and rocky terrain and appears in January and lingers on until early February. The Yellow Bee Orchid is a rare plant also usually growing in garrigue and rocky valleys and flowers in March/April. The Small-Flowered Tongue-Orchid (Maltese: Orikida tal-Ilsien iz-Zghir) is a slender-looking plant that flowers during March and April. It too is found in garrigue, and rocky valleys.
The stamps will be issued in sheets of 10 with each stamp measuring 20mm x 38mm with a perforation of 13.6 x 14.0 (comb.) while the sheets measure 154mm x 110mm and include a tab showing a photo of the flowers.
The stamps bear the Maltese Cross watermark while Printex Limited printed the set in offset process. The issue consists of 1,440,000 of the €0.26 stamp, 99,000 of the €0.42 stamp, and 81,000 of the €1.25 stamp.
This Philatelic Issue is now available from all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo, online at www.maltaphilately.com [1] or by mail from the Philatelic Bureau, MaltaPost p.l.c. 305, Qormi Road, Marsa MTP 1001; Telephone 2596 1740, email: info@maltaphilately.com [2]