Christmas Island ribbonroot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christmas Island ribbonroot |
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| Illustration from Johannes Smith's book Die Orchideen von Java | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Taeniophyllum
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| Species: |
hasseltii
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The Christmas Island ribbonroot (scientific name: Taeniophyllum hasseltii) is a special kind of orchid. It doesn't have leaves and often grows in small groups. It's an epiphyte, meaning it grows on other plants (like trees) but doesn't harm them. Sometimes it's also a lithophyte, growing on rocks.
This orchid has very short stems and flat, shiny silver-grey roots. These roots stick tightly to whatever the orchid is growing on, like a tree trunk or a rock. Its flowers are pale yellow and shaped like tiny tubes. Only one flower opens at a time. You can find this unique orchid only in a few places: Christmas Island, which belongs to Australia, and the island of Java in Indonesia.
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What Does the Christmas Island Ribbonroot Look Like?
The Christmas Island ribbonroot is a plant that doesn't have leaves. It grows in small groups, often on other plants. It has a very short stem, only about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) long.
Its roots are flat and silvery-grey. These roots are special because they can do photosynthesis, just like leaves do in most plants. They can grow up to 200 millimeters (about 8 inches) long and are pressed flat against the surface where the orchid grows.
The Flowers of the Ribbonroot
The flowers are pale yellow and shaped like tiny tubes. Each flower is about 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) long and 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) wide. Only one flower opens at a time.
The flower has parts called sepals and petals. These are about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) long. The petals are a little narrower than the sepals. There's also a special part called the labellum, which is boat-shaped. It's about 3.5 millimeters (0.14 inches) long and 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide. The labellum has a small spur at its end and a few tiny hairs inside.
This orchid's flowers open now and then. They are self-pollinating, which means they can make seeds on their own without needing help from insects or other plants.
How Was the Christmas Island Ribbonroot Named?
The Christmas Island ribbonroot was first officially described in 1874. A scientist named Heinrich Reichenbach gave it its scientific name, Taeniophyllum hasseltii. He published his description in a book called Xena Orchidacea.
The first plant used to describe the species was collected near Brisbane by Walter Hill. Reichenbach learned about this plant from drawings made by Heinrich Kuhl and Johan Conrad van Hasselt.
Where Does the Christmas Island Ribbonroot Grow?
The Christmas Island ribbonroot usually grows on the smallest branches of trees in rainforests. It was first found on Christmas Island in 1987. Scientists saw specimens on small branches that had fallen from a rainforest tree.
This orchid is also known to grow on the island of Java. It's likely that it can be found in other parts of a region called Malesia, which includes many islands in Southeast Asia.
