Chain ribbonroot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chain ribbonroot |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Taeniophyllum
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| Species: |
muelleri
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The chain ribbonroot (scientific name: Taeniophyllum muelleri) is a special kind of orchid. It's unusual because it doesn't have leaves! This plant often grows in tangled groups. It can be found living on other plants (called an epiphyte) or on rocks (called a lithophyte). The chain ribbonroot has short stems and green, round roots that stick flat against whatever it's growing on. It grows small, tube-shaped flowers that are yellowish-green. Usually, only one flower opens at a time. You can find this orchid in eastern Australia and New Caledonia.
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About the Chain Ribbonroot
The chain ribbonroot is a plant that doesn't have leaves. It often forms tangled groups. It can grow on other plants, like trees, or on rocks. This plant has a very short stem, only about 1 millimeter long. Its roots are green and round, like tiny tubes. These roots are very important because they do the job of leaves, making food for the plant through photosynthesis. They are usually 20 to 70 millimeters long and about 1 millimeter wide. The roots press flat against the surface where the plant is growing.
Chain Ribbonroot Flowers
The chain ribbonroot produces between five and twelve flowers. They are yellowish-green and shaped like small tubes. Each flower is about 3 millimeters long and 2 millimeters wide. Only one flower opens at a time. The parts of the flower, like the sepals and petals, are very tiny. The sepals are about 3 millimeters long, and the petals are about 2 millimeters long. The bottom part of the flower, called the labellum, looks like a small pear. It has a blunt tip and a small spur. These orchids usually bloom from August to September.
How it Got its Name
The scientific name Taeniophyllum muelleri was first officially described in 1873. This was done by a scientist named George Bentham. He used notes from another scientist, John Lindley, who had described it earlier but hadn't published it. The description was then put into a book called Flora Australiensis.
Who is Mueller?
The plant's specific name, muelleri, honors a famous botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller. The very first plant specimen used to describe this species was collected by Walter Hill. He found it growing "on trees near Brisbane" in Australia.
Where the Chain Ribbonroot Lives
The chain ribbonroot usually grows on the smallest branches of trees in rainforests. Sometimes, you can also find it growing on rocks. It lives along the coast and in nearby mountain ranges. You can find this special orchid in Queensland and New South Wales (north of the Bellinger River) in Australia. It also grows in New Caledonia.
