Wheat-leaf rope orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wheat-leaf rope orchid |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Bulbophyllum shepherdii in the Bomaderry Creek Reserve | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Bulbophyllum
|
| Species: |
shepherdii
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The wheat-leaf rope orchid (scientific name: Bulbophyllum shepherdii) is a special kind of orchid. It grows on other plants or rocks, not in the soil. This orchid forms a thick, tangled mat of roots that spread out. It has small, round parts called pseudobulbs, which are like tiny storage containers. Each pseudobulb has one egg-shaped leaf. The orchid also produces a single small flower that is white or cream-colored with yellow tips. You can find this orchid growing on trees and rocks in rainforests. It is only found in eastern Australia.
Contents
What Does the Wheat-Leaf Rope Orchid Look Like?
The wheat-leaf rope orchid is a herb that grows on other plants (this is called epiphytic) or on rocks (this is called lithophytic). Its roots, called rhizomes, branch out and form a thick mat.
Pseudobulbs and Leaves
The orchid has small, round, and flat pseudobulbs. They are about 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide. These pseudobulbs are spaced out along the rhizome, about 2 to 9 millimeters (0.08 to 0.35 inches) apart. Each pseudobulb has one leaf that is shaped like an ellipse or an egg. The leaves are about 20 to 40 millimeters (0.79 to 1.57 inches) long and 6 to 8 millimeters (0.24 to 0.31 inches) wide. The top surface of the leaf has a groove in it.
Flowers and Their Features
Each orchid plant produces a single flower. The flowers are white or cream-colored with yellow tips. They are small, about 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.20 inches) long and 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide. The flower grows on a stem that is about 5 to 9 millimeters (0.20 to 0.35 inches) long. These flowers do not open very wide.
The parts of the flower are quite thick. The sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud, are 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.20 inches) long and about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide. The petals are about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) wide. The labellum is a special lip-like petal that is reddish-brown. It is about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. The labellum has smooth edges and a sharp bend in the middle. This orchid usually flowers between March and August.
How the Wheat-Leaf Rope Orchid Got Its Name
The wheat-leaf rope orchid was first officially described in 1859. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller wrote about it in his book Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. He used a plant sample collected by T.W. Shepherd.
Later, in 1870, another scientist named Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach changed its scientific name to Bulbophyllum shepherdii. The second part of the name, shepherdii, is called the specific epithet. It was chosen to honor Thomas William Shepherd, who found the first plant sample used for the description. This first sample is known as the type specimen.
Where Does the Wheat-Leaf Rope Orchid Live?
The Bulbophyllum shepherdii orchid grows on trees and rocks. It prefers to live in rainforests and other wet forest areas. You can find it along the eastern coast of Australia. Its range stretches from Nambour in Queensland down to Bega in New South Wales.
