These amusing little creatures are Calceolaria uniflora - Darwin's Slipper Flower!  Discovered by Charles Darwin in his voyage around South America, these unique flowers almost look like little orange penguins marching over the rocks.  This is a cool-climate species that probably won't thrive in warm climates.  If you can provide the right conditions, it's a delightful collector's plant.  Unfortunately, counterfeit seeds of it are common.  It's rare to find the genuine species for sale.

Calceolaria uniflora (= C. darwinii) is distantly related to Foxglove and Gesneriads.  It is an evergreen, perennial species that makes a rosette of small, tongue-shaped leaves.  Over time the plant multiplies into a small colony.  The genus name Calceolaria means "little shoe", referring to the slipper-shaped blooms.  These unusual flowers appear throughout the summer.  The pouch-like blooms are about 2 inches tall, and are suspended from 4-5 inch tall stems.  They have a white band across the open "mouth", with burgundy markings above and below it.  A local species of bird likes to eat the white part of the blooms.  This is a good thing, because it's how the flowers get pollinated!

The plant comes from the southernmost tip of South America, not far from Antarctica.  The climate there is cool all year.  I recommend growing it at temperatures between 30 and 70 or 75 degrees F (-1 to 23°C), with a drop in temperature at night.  I have no information on how it will fare outside that temperature range.  It grows well in a small pot in rich, well-draining soil, such as half potting soil and half sand.  The plants have a shallow root system and should be kept from drying out.  They prefer mostly sunny conditions, but protect them from strong afternoon sun.

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Germination tips for the seeds are here.

Photos courtesy of Thomas Mathis, Steve Cook, and Jeronimo