Thread-tipped rope orchid facts for kids

The Bulbophyllum windsorense, also known as the thread-tipped rope orchid, is a special type of orchid. It is an epiphytic plant, which means it grows on other plants, like trees, but does not harm them. This orchid has small, round parts called pseudobulbs. These pseudobulbs are like tiny storage units for water and nutrients. They are partly hidden by thin, brown, papery leaves called bracts.

Each pseudobulb has one thick, dark green leaf with a groove. The plant also produces one or two cream-colored or greenish flowers. You can mostly find this orchid growing high up in trees where it gets a lot of fresh air. It especially likes Callitris macleayana trees. The thread-tipped rope orchid is only found in tropical North Queensland, Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.

What Does the Thread-Tipped Rope Orchid Look Like?

The thread-tipped rope orchid is a plant that grows on other plants. Its pseudobulbs are about 5 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.2 inches) wide. They are partly covered by brown bracts. The stems of the orchid can be quite long, from 100 to 300 millimeters (4 to 12 inches).

Each pseudobulb has a single leaf that is narrow and shaped like an oval or rectangle. These leaves are about 12 to 30 millimeters (0.5 to 1.2 inches) long and 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide. They have a small channel or groove on their top surface.

The Unique Flowers of the Orchid

The flowers of the thread-tipped rope orchid are about 10 to 13 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long and 12 to 15 millimeters (0.47 to 0.59 inches) wide. They grow either alone or in pairs on a short flowering stem, which is about 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long.

The flower parts, called sepals and petals, are thick and fleshy. The sepals are about 9 to 12 millimeters (0.35 to 0.47 inches) long and 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) wide. They have thin, thread-like tips, which is how the orchid gets its name. The petals are smaller, about 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) long and 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) wide. The labellum, which is a special lip-like petal, is also fleshy and curved like a half-circle. It is about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and wide. This orchid usually blooms between May and August.

How Was This Orchid Named?

The Bulbophyllum windsorense was officially described in 1964. Two botanists, Bruce Gray and David Jones, wrote about it in a scientific paper called Austrobaileya. They based their description on a plant sample that Bruce Gray collected from the Windsor Tableland.

The second part of its scientific name, windsorense, comes from the place where the first sample was found. This is called the type location.

Where Does the Thread-Tipped Rope Orchid Live?

The thread-tipped rope orchid prefers to live on the very tops of rainforest trees. It especially likes Callitris macleayana trees, where it can get plenty of fresh air and breezes. However, it can also be found on the trunks of tree ferns. Sometimes, it even grows on trees left in cleared areas, like paddocks. You can find this orchid in a region that stretches from the Cedar Bay National Park to the Paluma Range National Park in Queensland, Australia.