Striped pyjama orchid facts for kids

The Striped Pyjama Orchid (its scientific name is Bulbophyllum radicans) is a special kind of orchid. It gets its common name from its pretty striped flowers! This orchid can grow on other plants (like a tree) or on rocks. When it grows on other plants, it's called an epiphyte. When it grows on rocks, it's called a lithophyte.

Its stems hang down and have roots near the bottom. Small, brown, papery covers (called bracts) hide its pseudobulbs. Pseudobulbs are like small, swollen stems that store water and nutrients. Each pseudobulb has one thin leaf. A single small flower grows from the base of the pseudobulb. These flowers can be pink, cream, or yellow, and they have cool red or purple stripes. You can find this orchid growing on trees or rocks in or near rainforests in tropical North Queensland.

What Does It Look Like?

The Striped Pyjama Orchid is a herb that hangs down. Its stems can be from 100–400 mm (3.9–16 in) long. Roots grow near the bottom of these stems. The stems are covered with brown, papery bracts. These bracts partly cover the pseudobulbs. The pseudobulbs are 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.12 in) wide.

A single flower grows on a thin, thread-like stem. This stem is 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long. The flower itself is small, about 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide. It can be pink, cream, or yellow, with red or purplish stripes.

The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. It's shaped like an egg, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and about 2 mm (0.079 in) wide. It forms a little hood over the column, which is the central part of the orchid flower. The side parts, called lateral sepals, are shaped like triangles and are about the same size. The petals are egg-shaped to oblong, about 2 mm (0.079 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) wide.

The labellum is a special lip-like part of the flower. It is red and yellow, fleshy, about 3 mm (0.12 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. It has fine hairs on its bottom surface. These orchids can flower at different times throughout the year. However, each flower only stays open for one or two days.

How It Got Its Name

The Striped Pyjama Orchid was first officially described in 1897. A botanist named Frederick Manson Bailey gave it its scientific name, Bulbophyllum radicans. He published his description in a journal called the Queensland Agricultural Journal. The second part of its name, radicans, is a Latin word. It means "rooting," which makes sense because of its roots near the base of its hanging stems.

Where It Lives

You can find the Striped Pyjama Orchid growing on trees and rocks. It lives in and near rainforests. Its home stretches from Mount Finnigan in Cedar Bay National Park all the way to Eungella in Queensland, Australia.