Blotched bladder orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blotched bladder orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pomatocalpa
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| Species: |
macphersonii
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| Synonyms | |
The blotched bladder orchid, also known as Pomatocalpa macphersonii, is a special type of orchid. It can grow on other plants, like trees, without harming them (this is called an epiphyte). It can also grow on rocks (this is called a lithophyte). This orchid has thick, rope-like roots. It usually has two to eight dark green, tough leaves. Its flowers are yellow and cup-shaped, with cool red spots. They also have a white 'lip' (called a labellum) that also has red spots. You can find this orchid growing on rainforest trees in New Guinea and tropical North Queensland, Australia.
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What Does the Blotched Bladder Orchid Look Like?
The Pomatocalpa macphersonii is a plant that grows on other things. It has a single, flat main stem. This stem is usually about 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) long. The orchid also has thick roots that look like cords or ropes.
It grows between two and eight dark green leaves. These leaves are thin, stiff, and oblong. They are about 15 to 25 centimeters (6 to 10 inches) long. The leaves are also about 3 to 3.5 centimeters (1 to 1.4 inches) wide.
Its Unique Flowers
This orchid produces many cup-shaped flowers. There can be anywhere from three to thirty flowers on one plant. Each flower is yellow with red blotches, like spots. They are about 7 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and wide. These flowers grow on a stiff stem that hangs downwards. This stem is usually 15 to 40 centimeters (6 to 16 inches) long.
The sepals and petals of the flower are small. They are about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long. They are also about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide. The flower's 'lip' or labellum is white with red blotches. It is about 3 to 4 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long. It is also about 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.2 inches) wide. This lip has three parts, called lobes. The side lobes stand up straight. The middle lobe is thick and points downwards. It has a small spur, which is like a tiny pouch, about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long. The blotched bladder orchid usually blooms from July to October.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The blotched bladder orchid was first officially described in 1870. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it the name Saccolabium macphersonii. He wrote about it in his book, Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. He used a plant sample collected by John Dallachy near Rockingham Bay in Queensland.
Later, in 1958, another scientist named Trevor Hunt changed its name. He renamed it to Pomatocalpa macphersonii. The second part of its name, macphersonii, honors a person named John Alexander MacPherson.
Where Does the Blotched Bladder Orchid Live?
The Pomatocalpa macphersonii orchid usually grows on trees. You can find it on the trunks and large branches of trees in rainforests. It can grow at high altitudes, up to about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above sea level.
This orchid is found in New Guinea. It also lives in Queensland, Australia. In Queensland, it grows on the Cape York Peninsula and as far south as Rockhampton.
