Flower Postage Stamps—Scented Flowers (D437)

Stamp SN : D437
Stamp Name : Flower Postage Stamps—Scented Flowers
Stamp Cat Standard : Special Stamps
Stamp Cat : Flowers
Issue date : 2002-07-05
Dimension of stamps(mm.) : 26 x 34（mm）
Printer : China Engraving & Printing Works, R.O.C.
Sheet composition : 20 ( 4 x 5 )
Print color : Colorful
Process : Deep etch offset
Paper : Phosphorescent stamp paper
Perforation : 12 1/2
Designer : Lin Li-chi

Stamp design:
The fragrance of scented flowers comes from the aromatic oil secreted by certain "oil cells" by enzymes the flowers create from metabolic processes. People love the intoxicating aromas of scented flowers, which are widely distributed. There are forty to fifty species in Taiwan alone, blooming largely in the spring and summer. So as to promote further understanding of scented flowers among the people, the Directorate General of Posts is issuing a set of three stamps on the theme of scented flowers. Cheng Yuan-chun, the head of the Department of Botany at the Taiwan Museum, has been commis-sioned to handle the planning for this set of stamps. The stamps are individually described below: (1) Stock (Matthiola incana) : a herbaceous plant of the Cruciferae family, with a long and slender leaf. Its color is green with a little white. The flowers blossom on the tips of its stems, some with one layer of petals, some with many layers. There are purple, pink, fuchsia, violet and white blossoms, all of which have a light fragrance. They are suitable for containers or flowerbeds. (2) Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) : An evergreen shrub or tree of the Rubiaceae family, about two to four meters tall. Its leaves are opposite, almost without stems. The leaves are ovate or elliptic, with pointy tips. Both sides of their leaves are smooth. Gardenia blossoms from spring to early summer, and has strong fragrance. It has berries during autumn and winter. The berries are orange-red when they are iipe, and can be made into dye or food colorings. Gardenias are common plants in parks, gardens and campuses. They are also grown as a cash crop. (3) Banana shrub (Michelia figo) : An evergreen shrub or tree of the Magnoliaceae family. They flower in spring, with ivory or pale lavender blooms. The flowers of the banana shrub, like the mouths of sniiling beauties, do not open all the way. The flowers of banana shrubs have a strong fragrance, somewhat like that of ripe banana. Banana shrubs are grown throughout the island.
(1)First Day Cover in small size to be sold at NT$2.00 apiece. (2)Folder especially prepared for the stamps to be sold at NT$5.00 apiece. (3)Folder with crystal mount for better protection of the stamps to be sold at NT$5.00 apiece. (4)Loose-leaf stamp album page with plastic cover to be sold at NT$8.00 apiece. (5)Pre-cancelled First Day Cover affixed with a low-valued stamp to be sold at NT$7.00 apiece. (6)Pre-cancelled First Day Cover affixed with a complete set of stamps to be sold at NT$44.00 apiece.
Orders from abroad for the above-mentioned items are to be addressed to:
The Philatelic Department Directorate General of Posts 55 Chin Shan South Rd.,Sec.2 Taipei,Taiwan 106-03 R.O.C.